Marked For Beauty
Pastor Ashley McArtney
I believe we have entered a new season as the Church, it is marked by preparation, intimacy and the kiss of God. The season that has dawned on the church is a bridal season, the Church made ready for her King. The Church is to be a house of prayer full of revelation and glory, facilitated by a people who ache for the coming of Jesus and the dwelling of God in our midst, hallelujah!
Making Space
Eugene Peterson translates the famous maranatha greeting of the early church (traditionally ‘Come Lord Jesus’) as ‘Make room for the Master’ (1 Cor 16:22 MSG). We have been making space for Him and a season of preparation is upon us unto the return of the Lord. We are clearing out clutter, setting houses in order, relearning ancient paths, building emotional health and recalibrating our lives to His patterns and ways. To follow and love Jesus is to do so with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and he deserves nothing less!
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thes 5:23
Worship, First and Last, Means and End
During the past week I have had this phrase bubbling in my spirit; “Worship is the first and last, a means and the end”.
Worship is First
To love God is the first and greatest commandment (Matt 22:38). We where made for this, both as individuals and a corporate priestly people. Psalm 90:17;
May the beauty of the Lord our God rest upon us, establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands! Psalm 90:17
This was written by Moses, man of God and leader of the new nation of Israel, a Kingdom of Priests (Ex 19:6). Of course when he says ‘May the beauty of the Lord our God rest upon us’ he is referring to the nation of Israel. Israel was to be marked by the beauty of God above and before all else…
Beholding Beauty
How does beauty rest upon us? How does beauty mark the human heart? Beauty must be beheld and experienced for it to sufficiently captivate us. The Lord wants us to be captivated by His beauty because people will do crazy things for love! My wife’s beauty captivated me and in response I gave my life to her in covenant, for as long as I will live.The Father wants the same for His Son, a lovesick people motivated and marked by beauty, covenanted with with Him forever.
Taste it and See it
True beauty emanates from within. Some of its facets can be seen from a distance, but to be truely marked by it, and for it to rest upon a people, we must come close enough so we can experience it. Many know Jesus from a distance, but He wants us to know Him up close, face to face. We want to know beauty with all our 5 senses - sight yes, but also touch, taste, smell and sound. Psalm 34:8;
“Taste and see that the Lord is good (beautiful)”.
Taste is an experience, see is a perception, and to have beauty rest on us we need both. Many know Jesus and His beauty from outward appearance, what the word says about Him. But we are His bride and are called to know Him in intimacy through experience. The Greek word for worship is proskuneo and means ’to move towards and kiss’. We have enough knowledge about Him, but do we know Him? Do our lives reflect this knowing? A relationship with Jesus must be one of experience and perception.
Establish the Works of Our Hands
Beauty establishes. People enamoured with beauty will build and die for it. Moses wanted a people captivated. For the young nation of Israel there was much work to be done, lands to be captured, kingdoms to be established. But none of it would last without Beauty marking its people. There can be frustration in believers who see worship and prayer as secondary to the great commission. ‘Get people saved, then worship forever’. However the great commission is the servant of the first and greatest commandment and not the other way round. Any missional endeavour, any kingdom work must come from a place of beholding. The beauty of God must mark the human heart, and as an overflow, work will happen and be established.
Paul a Man Marked by Beauty
“Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:1-3
There was a 13 year gap between Pauls dramatic conversion and his first missional journey. Not much is known of his activities during this time, but we know that he received heavenly mysteries and incredible revelation about the ways and plans of the Lord (2 Cor 12). We also know that he along with Barnabas in the church of Antioch ministered to the Lord as priests. This passages in Acts 13 shows us what preceded Pauls missionary journeys - fasting, prayer and ministry to the Lord. Paul was a man marked by Beauty. The world was about to be changed forever, tipped upside down, and it started in the place of worship and fasting. After this fast the world would never be the same, Paul and Barnabas released by the Holy Spirit to the nations. Beauty was upon them, and would establish the work of their hands.
Worship The End Game
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” John Piper
What we do know of heaven is that it is engaged in endless worship and beholding. Those around the throne of God are forever being fascinated with the Man on the throne. Worship is first and last, the means and the end.
