Prayer, Praise and Promises 8/23

Author: Warren Wiersbe
Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises
Scripture Reference: Psalm 96:1-6

Strength and Beauty

Read Psalm 96:1-6

Early one spring morning I walked out the front door of my home and saw a spiderweb. It was beautiful, but it wasn't strong. Before the day was over, the web was gone.

Some things are beautiful but not strong. And other things are strong but not beautiful. A concrete slab is strong, but you're not likely to want one in your living room. Similarly, a steel girder exists to support, not to be seen. There was a beauty about the tabernacle and temple. "Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary" (v. 6). The tabernacle was a tent--it had beauty but not a great deal of strength. The temple had both strength and beauty.

Our God is practical, but not so practical that He leaves out the beautiful. He gave both strength and beauty to His creation, such as trees, mountains and rivers.

God also wants us to have beauty. He wants us to have the kind of strength that is beautiful and the kind of beauty that is strong. We can "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" because "strength and beauty are in His sanctuary."

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God's works have both beauty and strength. If you are walking in fellowship with Him, your life will have a beauty that is strong and a strength that is beautiful. You'll become more and more like Jesus.

Psalm 96:1-6 (New International Version)

1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.

3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.

6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.