Make Me Beautiful

"Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear;

Forget your people and your father's house.

The king is enthralled by your beauty;

 honor him, for he is your lord."

Psalm 45:10-11

In this Psalm about the King and His beauty, I have camped on some rich truths in verses 10-11. Verse 10 is calling daughters to pay attention to what is about to be said. The word "daughter" refers to the royal bride here, meaning the church. This refers to those who trust in Jesus. They should give ear to this instruction and then comply. By this method she profits from the Word of God.

The instruction given is this: "Forget your people and your father's house." This means as a believer I should renounce anyone or anything that I have more love and affection for than Christ. I should examine where I spend my time, talent and treasure. If it is not on the things of the Lord, then I need to reevaluate. If I am fully committed to Christ, then I will love Him so much that my affection for others and earthly things (my "people and my father's house") will pale in comparison.

"The king is enthralled with your beauty." This beauty comes from conforming entirely to God's will, seeking holiness; not mixing old (or past) affections with my religion because that would cause blemish. True beauty that captivates King Jesus comes from pure devotion to the Lord. This beauty comes at a great price on my part. When I sacrifice all else and put Jesus on the throne of my life, making Him the object of my affection and attention -- my devotion not tarnished by idols (things or people of this world that would wish to draw me away) -- this is very amiable to the Lord. This makes me beautiful. 

As a believer, the royal bride, I am subject to Christ as the wife is to her husband. In my devotion to Christ I am called to "honor him, for He is [my] lord." That is, love Him, reverence Him, and obey Him. He's convicted me deeply this week after a big failure to do what He says, when He says, and how He says to do it. When I do things my way or alter His plan, I get an altered result and sometimes, it's just the opposite of what He intended to happen if I had been completely obedient. 

I will close by sharing a quote a friend posted yesterday from what I assume to be a seminary professor. "If it's not all about me, but it's all about God, then we ask humbly how we fit into His wise and glorious plan rather than refashioning God to better fit into the kind of life we might wish to design for ourselves." - Dr. Ware. 

Lord Jesus, I love and honor You. I want my heart to always be fully devoted to You and not distracted by the people and things of this world. Help me to keep them in their proper place in my life and to seek holiness. Call my heart back when I wander away I pray. Help me to walk in tune with You; make my heart to beat with Yours so my time, talent and treasure are rightfully devoted to the things that matter most to You. In these things Jesus, make me beautiful. I pray this in Your name, amen.