“Beautiful!”

Over and over, my husband and I both used this word as we traveled around the countryside this past summer. We saw mountains to deserts, farmland to forests, and everything in between. But the most impressive sights perhaps were rocky cliffs where colorful bands of stone had been revealed through fractures deep under the surface of the earth.

One such place we visited was Capital Reef, a national park in Utah. This was one of those lucky discoveries. We had not planned to stop in the area but with all campgrounds full of the more popular destinations for the holiday weekend, we took what we could find. We were very happy with the outcome.

Capital Reef has what they refer to as a wrinkle in the earth’s crust. Ha! Wrinkle, indeed. This uplifted landmass soars 7000 feet into the air. An ancient fault beneath the earth’s surface that caused the ground to be thrust upward is the most likely explanation for its creation. Whatever the reason, when we gazed at the outcome, we remarked on its beauty.

God Sighting

Most people, including myself, tend to want their lives to resemble gentle-rolling, grass-covered hills rather than exposed rocky outcrops. We prefer to keep anything negative hidden deep under the surface. Nobody wants their faults on display, but often times, it is God’s work through those faults that bring the most beauty to our lives.

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

This verse found in Second Corinthians is a reference to the beginning of time when God created the world. In Genesis 1:3, a world that was formless, dark, and void began a process of change when God brought light to the situation. The focus wasn’t the dark, formless, empty earth, it is what God created out of it that gets our attention.

Even though there were places where the actual fault could be seen, it was not what drew your eye. It was the beauty of the layers of exposed rock that displayed their history in vibrant bands of color. The same can be found in our lives. Rather than our weaknesses, it will be God’s extraordinary work in us that is seen.

For instance, check out what Second Corinthians 4:7-12 has to say about it.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Not crushed even when hard pressed, not in despair even when perplexed, not abandoned even when persecuted, and not destroyed even when struck down—These show the layers of God’s faithful work in our lives. Where we saw weakness and failure, God’s light reveals something completely the opposite that draws people’s attention. It’s our transformation into the likeness of His Son, Jesus, that is revealed. His strength and majesty on display in our lives will bring hope and life to others. And to this, we must gaze in wonder and remark— “Beautiful!”

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 4:15