Good evening brethren and Happy Sabbath!  This week, we look forward to the discussion of the Booklet "Is God a Trinity?" in Columbia.  We'll be discussing it in Charlotte on August 28th.

For our next booklet in our series, "What Does the Bible Teach About Grace?", we can begin reading the chapter entitled "How Grace Reconciles Us to God."

Look at that!

Have you ever been in a store and seen something that really caught your eye? Maybe a beautiful dress, a tempting cinnamon bun at the mall, or a new 85" big screen TV. It's beauty was so captivating, it made you stop in your tracks to take notice.

There's nothing wrong with seeing or admiring something beautiful, but the question is worth asking: what is beauty?

A biblical definition 

I was riding in the car the other day chatting with a friend about how much we both enjoyed 'taking the long way.' That is, driving the backroads and avoiding the interstate in order to see the countryside and take in the beauty of God's creation. I couldn't help but think Psalm 145:5 (NKJV), "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty." God's majesty - including all the beautiful greenery, flowers, plants and trees -  is truly beautiful and full of splendor!

Of course, it's not just nature that is beautiful. God created a natural attraction between men and women. In describing his beloved, Solomon summarizes her beauty this way, "How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights!" (Song of Solomon 7:6).  Indeed, all of God's physical creation is beautiful!

The most beautiful thing of all

The word beauty or beautiful is used dozens of times in the Bible to refer from anything from trees to people's attitudes. You and I might use it to refer to nice set of furniture or a classic car (or at least I would...), but there's one use of this word I think we can all agree on.

In the book of Paul, when speaking of preaching the gospel, Paul quoted from Isaiah 52v7, "How beautiful upon the mountains re the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"

This scripture is not about feet, or mountains or the land of Zion, but a beautiful message of good news.  Let us be grateful and admire the beauty of the gospel message of God's coming Kingdom!