True Inner Beauty

In Genesis so far we have read about some beautiful women. Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel are all described as beautiful. In The Living Bible Rachel is described as shapely, and every way a beauty. I’m glad God brings beauty into His writing about people.

We may be born beautiful but good health practices help us maintain beauty as we grow older. We all want to be healthy and yet we don’t want to be caught up with our physical appearances so we forget about inner beauty.

One of my favorite writers, Stormie Omartian, writes about her seven steps to health, youthfulness, and vitality in her book, Greater Health, God’s Way. I like how she writes about how proper exercise and pure food combined with prayer and fasting are the way to true outer and also inner beauty.

She starts off with Step One: Peaceful Living. Proverbs 14:30 in the NIV says, “A heart at peace gives life to the body.” And in Philippians 4: 6 and 7 we read, “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So how does one attain peace? The only true way to peace is having a right relationship with God. Hopefully our outer beauty is reflected from our inner beauty which comes from closeness with God.

Sharing Bible Truths with Your Children:

In our society we all value good looks. If God has blessed you with attractiveness, thank Him, and be glad about it. But being handsome or beautiful is not the highest standard in God’s books.

When God sent Samuel to choose a king to replace Saul, who by the way was good looking, He gave specific instructions about looks.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
I Samuel 16:7

What God does require of us is a beautiful heart. If you ask Jesus Christ to cleanse your heart and forgive all your sins, He will come into your life and grow His character in you. Then you will have inner beauty, which He truly values.

He invites you to come. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it. We will start on Sunday, January 18th and finish Saturday, January 16, 2010. I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.

Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.

Day 13: Today read:
Genesis 28:1-29:35
Matthew 9:18-38
Psalm 11:1-7
Proverbs 3:11-12

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