Receive Beauty

What is it about beauty that captures you, that draws you in? The deep oranges and golds of the perfect sunset, the tranquil crashing of the ocean waves onto the shore, the arches of the white toped mountain peaks proudly reaching into the sky, the sound of rain pitter-pattering onto the pavement, the peaceful breathing of a baby as she sleeps, the music that sings to your soul, the embrace of old friends, a smile from someone who loves you. My God is the greatest artist there is. His paintbrush has stretched across the land painting the most beautiful of things for us, his unworthy children. Too many times we see His beauty, and we pass it by, consumed with the trivial things of daily life, when all we have to do is stop.... To let ourselves be drawn in. To not just see beauty, but to experience it. To not just love beauty, but to find it. To not just have beauty, but to receive it.

We do not want merely 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. (The Weight of Glory- C.S. Lewis)