A Sanctuary of Beauty

Purple Flowers

by RoseAnn Hayes

The job of the artist is to offer a sanctuary of beauty

to an ugly world.

- Jeff Goins

And you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.

- Isaiah 62:12

I'm still in Manila, enjoying the peace and quiet all around. After nine days of non stop rains, the sun finally showed up yesterday.

It will be sundown in just about an hour, and Sabbath will begin, marking the end of another week. I am taking this time to write some of my Sabbath musings.

Today I did a bit of gardening. There is never enough time to do all I want in the garden, whether it is here in Manila, or in my home in Bacolod  City. Mostly it's just weeding, pruning, or brushing the stone pavers to remove the algae that so quickly accumulates in rainy weather. 

This time, with the help of my cheerful maid, we cut the grass and trimmed the hedge in the front lawn, using garden shears. 

We don't try to finish everything in one sitting. For one thing, it's not possible to do that when one is using only garden shears. Another thing is that we remove the weeds and cultivate the soil in the plant boxes as we go along, so that slows down everything.

But when I stand and look back at what we have accomplished, I'm amazed at how beautiful everything has become.

The plants are lush and green from all the rains, and the smell of freshly cut grass made me feel nostalgic for my younger years when my sister and I would help Papa tend this very same garden on weekends.

After only an hour of work, the results put a huge feeling of satisfaction in our hearts.

There is something about beauty that feeds and nourishes our spirits. 

Yesterday, I came across the quote by Jeff Goins.

"The job of the artist," he writes, "is to offer a sanctuary of beauty to an ugly world."

It struck a deep chord in my heart.

The words kept coming back to me... like the refrain of a song that I sometimes find myself singing over and over again. 

A sanctuary of beauty...

A sanctuary is a place of refuge...

A safe place...

Come to think of it, this is true not only of the artist. It is true of all of us who believe that this world is not our permanent residence. 

We're only here as transients. Meanwhile, it is our job to make this world a sanctuary of beauty... in whatever way we can.

As the year 2013 was coming to an end, I asked Abba Father to reveal His one word for me for the new year.

In my end of December blog post, I wrote:

The name I give this month was gently placed on my heart ten days ago as I was thinking of the best possible word to sum up what this month has been like.

Significant... because it names not only this month, but the year as it comes to an end. It is also the prophetic word that I carry into the new year.

The word that the Lord gave me was "Sanctuary."

Today, seven months later, Abba Father reminds me once again of that word.

2013 was very special for me; it was the year I turned sixty. Each month that year, I devoted a blog post to one life lesson. Last December I wrote Sanctuary: Where God Dwells as my twelfth life lesson for my 60th year.

In a world where so much ugliness rules, we all need a place of healing, a sanctuary of beauty to run to.

Abba Father offers His heart as that safe place... He is our secure dwelling for all generations, the solid rock on which we stand.

But we also need one another to run to as a place of refuge from the violent storms and deadly traps that assault us on every side.

There are times when I feel confident about the many lessons I have already learned. 

But just recently I realized that no matter how much spiritual maturity one has attained, there is an enemy on the prowl, a roaring lion seeking whom it might devour.

So unaware was I of a demonic scheme aimed at me and precious relationships I had believed to be so established and secure, they were beyond destruction.

Nothing more needs to be said about it, except this: These days I have come to understand what a sanctuary of beauty means.

A sanctuary of beauty is where the lies of the enemy find no room.

A place of truth, not the kind of truth that accuses and condemns, but the truth spoken with love.

A place of acceptance, and understanding.

A place where one's hidden beauty is appreciated and valued.

It is the secret place of the Most High.

My December 2013 end of month post ended with these words:

As 2014 begins, I run to Abba Father as my place of shelter and strength, for there I receive healing, nourishment, renewal, and refreshment for my soul...

That I may be a sanctuary for others, too,

where hope is found,

compassion given,

redemptive words spoken...

where unbelief is silenced,

and grumbling has no voice...

where time is redeemed,

giving thanks is the norm, and

something beautiful and lovely is created out of the mundane.

Beautiful words indeed... and they are written from the heart. That is what I desire to be - a sanctuary for others.

But it will not always be so. It will also happen that because of areas of blindness, in my case I readily admit it was the subtle sin of self-righteousness, the enemy can creep in and sow seeds of destruction.

Right this very moment, my heart understands what has happened.

I cannot undo the events of the past, but there is One greater than me Who can.

I run to the Father for He is the Redeemer, He can re-create, He can heal, and restore.

He lets me take off the heavy garments of self-righteous pride, and invites me to don the simple cloak of humility.

And Abba welcomes me with arms wide open as He gently whispers, "In My time, precious daughter, all wounds heal."

My Prayer:

I know, Abba Father... that You are a rock of refuge, a safe dwelling, my victorious right arm. I run to You, and I am safe.

I know that in Your time, all wounds heal, and all things become beautiful.

Your love restores, Your grace liberates.

Yet, at this time, my heart also longs for a human heart to run home to, a heart that offers me a sanctuary of beauty, a place where I will find shelter, comfort, and re-assurance in the midst of the storm.

Thank You that You understand. 

Thank You for special friends You have given me who are that to me in this season.

Breath of Kindness

source

Related posts I have written:

Sanctuary: Where God Dwells

Gentleness: Life with Margins

With the Breath of Kindness