But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance, or at his physical stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance but the LORD looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
Beauty unseen by the world:
In the suffering we endure there is an unseen beauty. We do not recognize it, we only know this: suffering hurts. Yet, to God, there is nothing more precious and glorious than seeing His chosen ones conform to the image of His only Begotten Son. This is accomplished by accepting the bitter and the sweet circumstances which God allows into our lives. Romans 8:28,29
Profession or Confession:
How worshipfully nominal Christians sing, “Isn’t He beautiful, beautiful O isn’t He?” They bypass Christ’s suffering, and go straight to the victory. They envision the Redeemer glorified and majestically perfect. He is, rightfully so, but only to those who participate in the fellowship of His sufferings. Only those who endure suffering will reign with Him. 2 Timothy 2:12
As faithful disciples acknowledge Christ had to suffer before He was glorified. Those who dismiss His sufferings cannot have an intimate relationship with the Lord. They are “professors” rather than “confessors”. Professors come to Jesus not for Who He is, nor to learn what He commands. They come to receive from Him, rather than to wait patiently on Him. Confessors live out their faith. "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” Philippians 3:10 When professors discover that suffering is a requirement of discipleship; Christ is betrayed and many follow no more. John 6:66
These type of people existed in David’s time:
Those who spoke of God with their lips and acted ungodly with their actions were in constant battle with David. In Psalm 144:10 David praises God for delivering His servant from the “hurtful sword”. A sword is nothing less than fatal. However, the “hurtful sword” David speaks of here, pertains to the tongue.
James 3:5,9
There were people David believed were true to him, he learned their hearts were not faithful; such was Ahithophel. 2 Samuel 15:12 They laid spiritual traps for him. Their hope was for his downfall. They were persistent like the pounding waves against a sea wall. They relentlessly drove at him with their pretense trying to make his body feeble, his mind weary, and his spirit battle worn. This was his experience when he penned the words, “for my love they are my adversaries…”
Psalm 109:4,5 As Christ’s disciples can relate to David. It in times of persecution the power of the Holy Spirit becomes the battle cry. Determination becomes stronger and courage is undefeated. Battles belong to the Lord, but the victory is ours.
1 Corinthians 15:57
God promises to lead, feed, and guide His people in peace and spiritual warfare. The reply in the spiritual battle is, “Strengthen me according to Your word.” Psalm 119:28 The Psalmist comforted himself with the knowledge that God would take care of his enemies. What was required of David was to stay close to God, drawing his needs from the presence of the Almighty. It would be this that would sustain him. This is also an invaluable lesson to the committed disciple of Christ.
Salvation and Identification:
We are told in Philippians to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling”. Philippians 1:28; 2:12 The word salvation in this sense does not mean the salvation of the soul. It means the gifts of salvation given to us by God in Christ. They are pure gifts and must remain pure. For those who follow Christ, this is a difficult endeavor working out the ministry for which we have been specifically called. Salvation in this verse means deliverance from the snares and hindrances which would prevent the Lord from completing His will in the disciple's life; that which would prevent one from doing the will of God. God’s purpose must be achieved if our affinity with Christ is to be accomplished. John 17:4 This step in the Christian walk is completed by faith. The Christian's desire must be the base of their life and motives. The only desire being: to know and understand God. If He is not desired,the Christian is powerless. Jeremiah 9:23,24; John 15:5
Beauty which is holy:
“Fragments” of God are only understood when the heart is yielded to the Holy Spirit. He is the One who draws the curtain up allowing Christ to be glorified and thus bringing glory to God the Father. Mark 4:33; John 16:13-16 God allowed Christ to be disfigured. Isaiah 50:6-9 But is it understood beauty was the benefit? This concept has probably never entered the mind as applied to identification with Christ. Yet, an emotional “marring”can be experienced when those we love turn against us because we follow Christ. We can endure a physical marring when we endure sickness or disability. Enduring a social marring is experienced when people of the world persecute disciples for their faith in Christ. Until one can learn to accept the marring process the spiritual marring which must take place will never begin. It must begin to make us useful vessels. Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:4
The carnal nature must be replaced with God’s divine nature enabling the Holy Spirit to flow to others who need His touch. Once acceptance of who we are in Christ Jesus confirms in the heart God's calling, our beauty becomes holy. It is a beauty given by God who ordains each man’s sufferings solely for His own purposes. He did it with each person He called. All carried His mark. All held their faith in God alone. Separation from the world is the mark of commitment. When God instructed Moses to build an altar of stone, He told Moses not to lift a “tool upon it”. For if a man used a tool on the stone, the stone then became polluted. Exodus 20:25 The apostle Peter tells states Christians are to be “living stones”. 1 Peter 2:5 It is need essential to guard against those things which pollute the soul and the body. Pollution derived from the world makes an unfit temple; a temple in which the Holy Spirit is able to dwell.
The furnace of affliction:
While God's His furnace of affliction is endured it might help to remember another thought which is this: God’s love for His children is fathomless. He desires to prepare them for eternity. For God not to replace the human nature with His divine nature would be to obliterate the reality He may never have us for eternity if there is a failure to “measure up”. The yardstick God uses to measure divine character is, suffering. Isaiah 53; 48:10; 2 Timothy 2:12 The endurance of faith, rooted in a relationship with Christ, will bring the Christian through the fires of affliction. The apostle Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit states this so eloquently: “ …That the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. 1 Peter 4:6-8
Jesus Christ, Our Example:
When Jesus hung on the cross the Father could not look at His Son covered with our sins.Isaiah 59:2 But had the thought ever crossed one’s mind of the Father heart of God? His pain and suffering? He had to turn away, for His heart was torn to shreds as He watched His Son. An innocent spotless Lamb, slaughtered for the sins of humanity. He had to turn away before He destroyed the whole earth.
The Father knew Jesus was sinless. He had to be, in order for the sacrifice to be accepted. Jesus willingly, in obedience to His Father, took on Himself the punishment for the world’s sins. John 10:18 In the midst of the putrid horror the sons of men created on earth, was God’s Messiah. This too, is a fact for disciples of Christ struggling to live out lives in a Godless generation. Though we do not seek to put ourselves on the same level as Christ, the principle is relative. Christ warned us of our lot in John 15:18,19 “If the world hate you, know that it hated Me before it hated you”. Through all Jesus endured; He held His peace. He did not allow His suffering to rob Him of “the peace which passes all understanding”. Jesus knew His life would be the very standard God would use to judge His enemies.
Philippians 4:6,7
Those of Jesus’ day are like the nominal Christians of today. Would a nominal Christian of today, run to a side pierced by a Roman soldier’s spear? As they surveyed the flesh torn, swollen, bruised, disfigured face would they be repulsed; or would they remember a face once defined in strength and gentleness? Would they cradle the lifeless body and remember times of spiritual intimacy? Would it tear their hearts knowing the price of the Sacrifice given? Could they then sing adoringly, “Isn’t He beautiful, Beautiful O isn’t He?” I think not.
Five days before His crucifixion these “type” of people honored Jesus crying, “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The same people screamed to have Christ put to death before Passover. The book of James defines this very well. “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble. But do you want to know, O foolish man that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19-21 There are nominal Christians who think all they have to do is believe in the sacrifice of Christ. They fit the Holy Spirit in somewhere and go to church every Sunday. They think to themselves they are doing a pretty good job as a Christian. They live their daily lives making their own decisions, doing their “own thing” until Sunday rolls around. God isn’t in their thoughts from Monday to Saturday. Their Bible stays closed until Sunday morning, if it is opened at all.
The disciple of Christ lives out his or her belief in obedience and worship. They honor God with faith and trust. Their priority is the will of God. They go to church to be a servant to others, not to use it as a social club. Jesus shows the contrast between “believers” and “disciples” in Matthew 7:21-23 It is the reason Jesus stated, “For many be called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:16
God knew Abraham would command his household after the ways of a holy God.
Genesis 18:19 Just as He knows those of this day and age who still agonize for the price paid to ransom mankind. How is this possible? After two thousand years those who are intimate with God still feel His heartache, His grief. Isaiah 65:2.
Those of today who slander the name of the Savior had their counterparts in that great and mournful day past. They want a God who will take what they desire to give to Him; rather than obey what He commands. They are as those who stood at the foot of the cross and shook their fists at God’s precious Gift. Rather than repent and believe, they gathered together to have a good laugh. They satisfied their self righteousness and animosities with cruel remarks made against a sinless life. They enjoyed their rebellion as they watched the life flow from the Man, Jesus.
All the while God the Father looked down from heaven. With tears in His eyes, and a heart overflowing with grief He announced to all of heaven and earth, “This is My Son in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 Christ’s obedience was well pleasing to God the Father; it was an act of beauty. God also considers our obedience and suffering for His purpose a picture of beauty. He suffers, also, as He walks by our side. Nominal Christians know of God, but they do not know Him.Isaiah 63:9 Knowing, means to be intimate with the Lord, and proving that intimacy with a life of faith and works. Believing God in the face of great suffering and trials which sre not understood, is a work of faith. The Father uses great suffering to “fertilize”faith. He wants the seed of faith He planted to bloom and become a great tree of His planting. Jeremiah 17:7-10 Romans 12:3 Suffering brings sufficient grace to endure whatever life holds.2 Corinthians 12:9
So maybe, just maybe, as we struggle with our identity, conformity and obedience to God; as nominal Christians gather round our cross to mock and rail on us we will be able to keep our peace as Jesus kept His peace. Luke 9:23;14:27 Then possibly, God the Father will look on us with merciful favor and say, “These are my children, and they are beautiful!”
Author ~ Joyce Andrews Bickel
www.mycalvaryslove.com