More Beauty

There is a song by Matthew West called More. In this song the chorus goes, "I love you more than the sun/And the stars that I taught how to shine/You are mine and you shine for me too/I love you yesterday and today/And tomorrow I’ll say it again and again/I love you more." It's written from God's perspective to me and you. I am God's and I shine for Him. How great is that?

Last night I went out to pray. I looked up in the sky--it was so clear. I saw my familiar handful of stars blinking at me. And the quarter moon was softly blazing down on me. I was moved to pray a "thank you" prayer. I struggled to keep requests out of it. Afterwards, I felt a load off my heart. I had a beautiful experience.

I have a friend--a man-friend--who is very self-assured. I guess he'd be considered a man's man. He laid bare his beautiful heart one evening at Bible study. He was speaking to another man, telling him what my friend loved about him. As my friend came closer and closer to his heart while he talked, tears flowed from eyes down his cheeks.

What makes the stars blinking at me beautiful? What makes a thanksgiving prayer beautiful? What makes a man's heart beautiful? I impart some of the beauty--as in "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." There is also inherant beauty in these.

The stars remind me of my smallness. They also remind me of my greatness. All those stars so that I can see them and enjoy them. God didn't have to make all those universes and planets and stars, but He did. He made them so I and the rest of us could see them.

So, those are the stars. Next up is the thanksgiving prayer. I had a hard time keeping myself from throwing in at least one request. As soon as one popped up ready to go out my lips, I would change course and give thanks for whatever it was I was about to request. The beauty in gratitude is humility. I acknowledge that I am given all kinds of gifts everyday that I do not deserve. I find my rightful place in my own life. And, in reality, thanking God surely felt like talking to Him about all the concerns I have on my heart.

Seeing a friends heart is just about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Seeing a man-friend's heart is breathtaking. This big, strong man showing softness and love toward a friend was humbling. Reality wafted through the room like the smoke from a candle. We all saw heaven in the the drops of tears from my friends heart.

Stars and prayers and hearts--beauty on display.