The creation: woman, is displaying a kind of power and beauty that moves people into the heart of God.
Have you ever had a moment when you’ve just been struck with beauty? (Just smacked in the middle of your soul with it?)
Once, in the flattest land in America (the plains of South Dakota), I stood out in a field before going into bed, and a thunderstorm sprawled out against the dark horizon. One by one, lightening cracked in the distance, and the sound rolled towards us. It was a panoramic view, and although I didn’t care to count, there must have been thirty various lightning bolts sparkling across the entire horizon. I think it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
When Jesus spoke the world into being, he made it to reflect his own beauty. In the book of Revelation, in the throne room, God reveals himself as astoundingly beautiful. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.” (Rev 4:3)
However, if you were to type the one word “beauty” into Google Images, you wouldn’t see lightning or God. You would see women, hundreds of them. It’s common knowledge that part of a women’s purpose is to be beautiful. It’s like we can’t even help thinking about it. (For now, I’ll avoid all the negative aspects of this. I’ll admit, our obsession over beauty doesn’t always go well.)
I personally love being a woman. It’s like we have special access to the beauty of God when we seek him. When our hearts belong to Jesus, he replaces our hearts of stone for something unearthly. When spiritual beauty captures your eyes, there is nothing like it. It’s mysterious and deeper then what I’m able to testify…but I do know that God has set it inside of us.
It is the force that shuts down cynicism and quiets people’s souls into peace. Beauty invites people into God’s presence without even trying hard.
My favorite quotes this month: “God is telling a love story and the setting is war.” –John Eldridge
As you read the next few sentences receive them as a prayer over you:
Jesus, I pray over the women of Waters Edge, that you would replace the hard and numb places of their heart for a heart of flesh. I pray that your Spirit would come and meet them where they are, and quiet their souls into peace. You are taking care of them Lord. I pray that you would create in their own spirit a deep spiritual beauty that compels other people towards you- Jesus. I pray that you would allow us to be a group of women that embody the spiritual beauty and power of lightning storms, and the splendor of precious gems. All to glorify your name, and to become who you created us to be.
Jesus, I pray over the hearts of men in our ministry. I pray that you would use us to minister to them. I pray that as we women become fully spiritually beautiful in the way that you created us to be, that it would cause them to be full of joy in front of you Jesus—full of worship to you whenever they see it. Smack them in the middle of their soul with it. I pray that you would teach them about your mystery and who you are.
