O sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
²Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
    tell of his salvation from day to day.
 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples.
 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be revered above all gods.
 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
 Honor and majesty are before him;
    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. – Psalm 96

Saturday was a good day for special times with our two-and-a-half year old granddaughter, Beks. Yes, even shopping at our local Walmart was fun! What especially grabbed my attention all day long was how arrestingly beautiful she is, how unreservedly she trusts me, and how uncluttered her heart is.

Today is another Sunday, and I wonder sometimes if God longs for that same level of complete trust in me. I’m sure God remembers how pure my love was when I was a child, how unsullied I was by cynicism and rebellion. To that end, I’m thankful that we have such an active and joy-filled children’s ministry at WFPC; how God must smile when we allow the children to remind us that naïveté is not unsophisticated so much as unspoiled.

Interestingly (and I wonder if this is true for anyone else?) I am sensing – as I grow older – that my trust is on the rise again, and that my cynicism is being crowded out by a purer quality of love. Maybe it’s the children? Maybe it’s the church? Maybe I’m finally learning how to live in faith?

Saturday evening, Rebekah and Beks painted on the kitchen floor while I was preparing supper.Our granddaughter was delighted with the colors, the textures, and the creativity. We were delighted by the joy, the pure spirit, and the sense of connection with the holy that such beauty of spirit facilitates.

I believe that holiness is simply God’s work in action, unhindered by our cynicism and pride. Holiness is less about being perfect and more of uninhibited beauty.

Holiness is less about being perfect and more of uninhibited beauty.

“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” – Psalm 96:9

– DEREK