February 14, 2016

God’s Coworkers: Work That Beautifies

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

—  Psalm 19:1

Recently I painted our bedroom.  First the wallpaper had to be stripped from floor to ceiling. My wife and I met with a designer, who helped us to coordinate colors. Employees at the paint store helped us choose the paint best suited to our walls, and then mixed the paint to get the colors we wanted. For the next four days, I taped edges, covered furniture, and carefully applied two coats of paint to the room. 

Our God is a God of magnificent beauty. Psalm 19 describes two of the ways God reveals himself to us. One way is through Scripture, and another way is through the splendor of the world around us. In beauty, we glimpse God. For many of us, our work allows us to create beauty. Architects, fashion designers, musicians, chefs, and countless other professions bring to life textures, tones, tastes, and tints that reflect the beauty of our God.

Ultimately, God’s beauty is seen most clearly in the person of Jesus, the clear and perfect image of God. As we labor in beautifying the world, we do our best work when we point to the source and image of beauty, Jesus Christ. As you labor this week, remember that your work can be the means by which ­others see the beauty of Christ!

God of colors, sounds, tastes, and textures, we delight in your beauty! The world around us declares your splendor. Help us in our daily work to reflect the beauty of your character so that we may join with the psalmist in declaring the glory of your name. Amen.

About the author — Rob Toornstra

Rob Toornstra has served as pastor of Sunnyslope Christian Reformed Church in Salem, Oregon, since 2006. When not busy with pastoral duties, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Amy, and their three children.

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