Beauty Is God’s Work of Art
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.”
Beauty is a divine attribute. All you need do is turn to the first verses of the first book of the Old Testament, and you witness God creating the beauty of the earth. Nature’s beauty provides a sense of awe and wonders impossible to experience elsewhere. If I were asked to describe beauty, I would tell Glacier National Park in Montana. The snowcapped mountains reflecting off the diamond twinkling lakes take my breath away. Each of us has a place in our minds and hearts, where beauty stirs the soul. What is yours?
I believe in a certain amount of chaos in this world, but I believe God has created nature in an orderly fashion. John-Mark L. Miravalle, in his inspiring book, Beauty: What Is It and Why It Matters, points out, “What we find when we look at nature is that it is both orderly and surprising.” Miravalle argues that nature is orderly because if it were not, “all the benefits that come with physical science would be impossible.” Beauty involves a pattern, which forms the structures that permeate nature. Yet, nature isn’t just orderly. It is also surprising.
Miravalle defines surprise as “the mind’s attentive response to what it does not find obvious.” When you look closely, nature continues to surprise you. “Miravalle continues, “That’s why scientists keep doing research-because no matter how much they discover, there’s always more about nature that they’re trying to figure out.” Nature is always surprising because it is beyond our comprehension. Nature is God’s gift of art, and it is offered to all who have eyes to see the artist’s hand at work. There is beauty in many different areas of life but seeing beauty in nature allows us to witness the artist of all creation at work. A simple walk in the woods is the most incredible art show in the universe.
Today, pray for God’s creation. As we decimate the climate, we are throwing tar on God’s works of art. Each tree cut down in the Amazon is a divine painting with a foot kicked through it. Each Iowa river, too filthy to safely use even after being sent through filters, is a hammer smashed against a divine sculpture. We find creation’s hope in celebrating God’s beauty in all its forms. Finish your prayer by giving thanks to God for your most beautiful place. My prayer is for Glacier National Park and all the areas on your lists. Every place on every list is a gift of God’s beauty.
