Tuesday, September 13, 2011

beauty slivers

{via pintrest}
"I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, in all the days before I die, the moments before I sleep." ~Ann Voskamp

it's a habit we have, this obsession with beauty.

we see it in the face of a beautiful woman, flawless skin and weighing just right. 


we see it in the beautiful people. the rich people. the ones who can pay us back for our worshipful admiration.

but did you catch this thing we do?

we worship this beauty
and not the One who made it so.

did we forget that there is more beauty in suffering than in perfection?

that beauty was created when blood flowed down a splintered beam and words were wailed from Father to Son. 

from sinless sin to Sovereign Parenthood? 

and so this thing of beauty changes from world to Heaven's eyes.

and there it is. 

amid the ruin of a run-down home, the history in the painted walls and the still-smooth banisters. 

in the richness of a third-world village, not a penny to be seen but more joy in the dirt-smeared faces there than in any gilded hall.  

{via pintrest}
in the smile on a new father's face. 

that sweet illumination as he takes his flesh and bone into his arms 
and cradles this new infant with more love 
than he ever imagined. 
wife in one arm, child in the other.

this is his glimpse of the face of God.

sunstreams flowing in from window to floor. this humble worship of the world to the One who formed it in His fingers. 

this is the beauty we must see.

 in the cracks and corners and little bits of light in misty emptiness. 

not the reflection must we worship.

but the One in whom 
there is no shadow.




{writing unmasked today}

13 comments:

  1. You make such wonderful posts, Rachel!

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  2. Thank you for this beautiful post, Rachel! I've been feeling not-so-beautiful lately and this post just really touched my heart deeply.

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  3. Oh yes!! This is the beauty that we must see.

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  4. Lovely post!
    I've been feeling un-beautiful lately because ya know, dance class with all the stick figures...anyway, wonderful post. I needed it. :)

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  5. I love this. You write this amazing poetry prose, and I wish I could just soak it all in. There truly is beauty everywhere. We just need to have eyes that are tuned to see beauty in the mundane, in the suffering, in the ashes. Doesn't He make all things beautiful in its time? He does. And you're right. We need to worship the Beauty-Maker.

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  6. This is, well....beautiful.

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  7. I love this: not the reflection must we worship, but the One is whom there is no shadow.
    I could preach on that.
    Great post, dear. Ditto :))
    -Jocee <3

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  8. piercing, beautiful truth.
    ""I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, in all the days before I die, the moments before I sleep." ~Ann Voskamp"
    i love that. so much.

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  9. This was beautiful. What a wonderful reminder.

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  10. I am certainly guilty of looking at creation and not the Creator far too often then I ought. Great reminder put so poetically.

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  11. Amen! Thank you for this inspirational post.

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  12. oh my word, Rachel.

    "in the richness of a third-world village, not a penny to be seen but more joy in the dirt-smeared faces there than in any gilded hall." that part just pierced my heart in the best way. there is no beauty apart from Him.

    this post is just gorgeous.

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  13. Wow! Your words took my breath away and left me wanting more. Thank you. What a beautiful moment of grace!

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I look at you and see all the ways a soul can bruise, and I wish I could sink my hands into your flesh and light lanterns along your spine so you know there's nothing but light when I see you. :: Shinji Moon