The Beauty of Holiness
God loves and deserves worship. There’s no one greater we can praise for all the awesome delights that surround us in nature, in our relationships and in our experiences. When we walk with God, those blessings abound, and it’s natural to raise our hearts in worship.
To us, worship becomes an experience. To God, worship is His choice adornment. He wants to wear the praises of His people. But not just any praise and worship. He especially responds to those who worship in the beauty of holiness. “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” (1Chron. 16:29) Several other verses talk about worshipping God in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 29:2, 96:9)
Notice how that says worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, not for the beauty of holiness. This holiness isn’t God’s holiness; it’s our holiness. It’s what He delights for us to wear when we worship Him. Worship to Him from a set-apart, dedicated, consecrated person is beautiful.
Remember, we have pictures of holiness through the Bible. Aaron, the one consecrated to make offerings to God, had a holy garment he wore to do his priestly service to the Lord. The entire chapter of Exodus 28 describes that garment. God wanted him to wear it. God wants us to wear the beauty of holiness when we worship him. “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”
Compare that with the slacking way we may be used to worshipping Him. Is He pleased when we sing and sway with the music in church but our lives are dirty? We enjoy the experience of worship, but to really give Him the glory due his name, we will bring an offering and come before Him and worship Him in the beauty of holiness. He loves purity. In heaven, He will be surrounded with holiness, because no sin will enter His presence. But short of eternity, He deserves worship now that springs from holiness. This garment we see here that He described in 43 verses is beautiful to God. It represents the beauty of holiness. Let's be more mindful of our lives and offer worship to God wearing what He loves and deserves.
Jody