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Beauty Leads Truth

Psalm 19
January 9, 2005

I was driving to the gym one morning this past week, a little before dawn, and I could see just the faintest shade of pink on the snowy peaks the other side of the lake. The layer of ice on the lake was beginning to take on that same rosy hue and it was so breathtaking that I almost drove off the road. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was!

Some of my most profound God sightings have come to me when I am outdoors walking, or running, or in this case, driving. Does beauty have this kind of an effect on you? Beauty comes to us in so many marvelous forms. Do you ever feel your soul awakened when you take in a sunset on the beach, or listen to a beautiful piece of music, or when you look closely at a gorgeous piece of artwork?

Cindy Prince sent me an e-mail last week that got me thinking about this whole idea of beauty and it's effect on us. She talked about how much she loves January, how it is feels like a dessert-(That's a beautiful thought in and of itself) She wrote, "January feels like a long, open, empty, quiet space. But, like a dessert there is a richness and beauty found only when we look with the intention of seeing beauty." How true! Others might see January as a dreary month, the post-holiday blues time of the year. And Cindy calls January a dessert!

It makes me think of the two guys who were standing and looking over the Grand Canyon. Seeing the great depth of that world-famous canyon, one guy was completely awestruck as he took in the beauty and he said, "This has got to be the most amazing and creative God thing I have ever seen!" The guy next to him looked over the edge and spit and said, "Hey, that's the first time I ever spit a mile." Not to diss the spitter. I'm sure that he was having great fun, but the point being, as Cindy points out, we only find beauty when we look with the intention of seeing beauty.

I remember a time right after our daughter, Sophia, who has Down syndrome was born, going outside for a walk. I had her in one of those little front packs, and my neighbor, perhaps fearing some freakish sight wouldn't even look at her. Sophia was an absolutely beautiful baby. I remember feeling so sad she couldn't acknowledge the beauty of my daughter.

I know that sometimes I just plain miss the spectacular because I'm not looking for it or I am distracted and preoccupied. I often allow the grind of daily life to rob me of the eyes of wonder. When I neglect to be mindful I miss the beauty that is in front of me.

(I would like to interject here, that there are mental health issues that prevent one from appreciating beauty. I'm not speaking about someone here who is clinically depressed. I would never want to imply to someone who is depressed that there is something spiritually deficient in you because beauty doesn't move you.)

Over these past few days I have been pondering the enormous impact of beauty on our souls. I have also been thinking about the ways that beauty can lead us to truth. I've seen this happen on my own spiritual journey many times.

I remember the way beauty spoke to me when I ran the Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon several years ago. As I ran through those magnificent Redwood trees, I was struck with the truth that I am not alone in this world. I felt this absolute certainty that God exists and loves and cares about me. That I am this one little speck in the universe and I matter to God.

Richard Rohr says, "God for some inscrutable reason shows himself in all kinds of created beauty." I believe this is true.

The beauty of creation is one way we come to truth. I would like to read for you a portion of Psalm 19. The Psalmist conveys this idea in a beautiful poem,

"God's glory is on tour in the skies.
God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning.
Professor Night lectures each evening.
Their words aren't heard,
Their voices aren't recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
Unspoken truth is everywhere.
God makes a huge dome for the sun-a superdome!
The morning sun's a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed.
The daybreaking sun an athlete running to the tape.
That's how God's Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
Warming hearts to faith."

The Apostle Paul also wrote about beauty and truth in the beginning of his letter to the Romans,

"The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being."

I wonder if our resistance to trust, or even believe in God, is softened by beauty. I wonder if when we allow beauty into our souls we become more open to truth? Have you ever felt that God used beauty to get your attention?

Allow me to share a little story I came across about truth and beauty.

"Once upon a time, when the angels were still walking the earth, there was a man who resisted God Almighty. But the Lord took mercy on him and sent to him the Angel of Truth, that he might be enlightened. And the angel descended to earth and knocked at the window of the defiant man.

"Who are you, and what is it you wish?" demanded the man impatiently. The Angel of Truth told him of his request, but the man slammed the window and the angel stood outside not knowing what to do. He waited a long time, walking up and down in front of the house, knocking again and again at the door, but nobody opened. So he flew back to heaven feeling very sad because his visit had been without result.

Presently his sister, the Angel of Beauty, saw him and asked the reason for his distress.

The Angel of Truth told her what had happened.

'Take courage, brother,' she said. 'What you could not achieve alone, we will accomplish together.'

And so they both glided down to earth through the hanging garden of beautiful stars. When they came in sight of the man's house, the Angel of Beauty said to the Angel of Truth, 'Wait here awhile,'

And she went to the window and knocked. But the man thought it was again someone who had come to disturb his peace and he grumbled angrily.

Then the Angel of Beauty knocked again, and it sounded like the sweet tones of a harp, and the window shone in many-colored radiance like the stained glass windows of a cathedral. And the man listened and looked up in astonishment from his work, and when he saw the Angel of Beauty standing before his window, the frown disappeared from his face and his heart was glad. He quickly opened the window, asking,

'Who are you, my beautiful child?

'I am Beauty,' said the angel.

'Oh, come in and be welcome,' said the man, opening the door wide.

'I should like to enter,' said Beauty reluctantly. I think I should enjoy being with you. But-'

'There is no but,' said the man. 'Whatever you wish for you shall have. Come in.'

'Very well, said the Angel of Beauty, 'But I have my brother outside. Do you see him? Have you room for both of us?'

'Room for a dozen children as charming as you.'

And the Angel of Beauty flew to the Angel of Truth and said, 'Come with me,'

And so Truth and Beauty took possession of the heart of the defiant man."

When we are captured by an object of beauty, whether it's a place, a person, or a work of art, we often mistakenly assume that the longing in our hearts is for the beauty in front of us. I am coming to believe that the beauty that so captures our heart is drawing us towards an Eternal Reality.

C. S. Lewis wrote, "We do not merely want to see beauty, though, God knows, even that is bounty enough. We want something else which can hardly be put into words-to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it."

I'm fairly certain that beauty reflects the essence of God. I think this is why it stirs and moves us so deeply. It awakens in us an ache and longing to be united with God.

I read recently that over our lifetime our eyes will bring into focus some 24 billion images. Isn't that amazing? Imagine for a moment that all the many images of beauty that we have seen throughout our lives is a manifestation of God's loving presence with us.

Looking back over this past week, can you think of an experience where beauty led you an awareness of God? In what way has beauty taken possession of your heart recently? May we choose to be mindful of Beauty, and the Truth she speaks into our lives.

Let's pray… Lord, we thank you for the way you nourish our souls through Beauty. Awaken our senses to the Beauty that surrounds us every day. And as we in this room gather to worship and seek to build community, help us to see the reflection of your beauty in one another. In your name, we pray, Amen.