The Attributes Of God – The Beauty Of God

What are God’s attributes? Each Friday we will look at an attribute of God. This week, the beauty of God.“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” according to human opinion – but not when it comes to God. He is beauty itself. It’s not an aspect of God’s being that we consider often, if at all. Yet David sought this as his greatest desire: nothing was more important to him: “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 ESV). But what do we mean by God’s beauty? And how do we become captivated by it?

“From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.” – Psalm 50:2.

In many ways, life is about finding all kinds of ways to enjoy, create, and even market beauty. Take a look at magazine covers, popular Instagram accounts, travel blogs, art exhibits and performances, craft websites, or famous tourist spots around the world, and you are likely to find one thing in common: beauty. The fashion and beauty industries generate billions of dollars of revenue each year for a very good reason: we not only want beauty in our lives, but we also want to be beautiful.

God loves beauty. Few have described the beauty of God better than Jonathan Edwards who wrote, ‘For as God is infinitely the greatest Being, so He is allowed to be infinitely the most beautiful and excellent: and all the beauty to be found throughout the whole creation is but the reflection of the diffused beams of that Being who hath an infinite fullness of brightness and glory; God . . . is the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty.”

God’s beauty is displayed in the radiance of His absolute perfection. The psalmist declares, ‘From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.” (Psalm 50:2 NIV).

God has given us beauty throughout nature with majestic mountains, enchanting valleys, vast oceans, white sandy beaches that seem to stretch forever, quiet estuaries, and mighty rivers that carry themselves for thousands of miles. “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” (Psalm 23:2-3) When we look at nature, we can remember God, who created it. Nature can be awe-inspiring, even to the point of being almost incomprehensible. The richness of a sunset, the twinkle of stars, and the diversity of animals all witness to a creator and designer.

Seeing God’s creation can invite us into a deeper admiration for God and the beauty of His handiwork. In nature, surrounded by His creation, we can feel closer to Him.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is God’s beauty? Can we see it? Can we feel it? If we go looking for his beauty in Scripture, what are we looking for? If we go looking for His beauty in creation, where do we find it?