He calls me beautiful

Isn't it funny how girls just strive to be called beautiful by their boyfriends? Wives want to be beautiful forever for their husbands, and they want them to recognize them for it. It's self-assurance. It's love. It's an act of true love. When they see you as something that no one else does. You are truly beautiful to them.

We make ourselves pretty/handsome every day. We get up, take showers, try to look our best (most of us anyway), style our hair.... you know, all the things that give us this outward appearance of beauty in hopes that others might recognize it. The question is.... what do we do to make ourselves beautiful for Christ?

Who else would you want to call you beautiful more than the Lord? He is the giver of all givers. The definition of righteousness. What an amazing compliment to be received than from the Father himself?

Isaiah 61:3 says, "they may be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."

Righteousness means "honesty, integrity, liberation. Righteous conduct issuing from a new heart." I suppose especially in the context of Isaiah 61 it refers to the freed captive, which would be Christians walking in freedom. So, we are being called "oaks of righteousness". What a name to uphold. It's like when someone calls you something you feel you're not, so you must try extra hard to keep up the good work so that your name will continue to reflect that meaning.

The beautiful part about this scripture is that we are called to be a display of His splendor. Meaning, in Hebrew, "to bring honor, to glorify, to boast." How in the world can I be called such a thing? I, who am flawed beyond measure, can be used to bring honor to the Lord so much that he would boast of my beauty? What a wonderful thought.

So I pray... God, make me beautiful in your sight. I am trying so hard to reflect an honest, righteous life that I might be planted in your Word so that you too can look upon me and call me beautiful in a way no man can.

written 12.22.2007