A Commitment to Inner Beauty

Civil War Era Church in North Georgia
~ The Cove Methodist ~

Then he set the cherubim inside the inner room; and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall. And their wings touched each other in the middle of the room....

Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.

I Kings 6: 27, 29

 

 

I love beautiful churches, but the ones that really capture my heart, are the lovely old buildings that have tiny bits of architecture that show someone loved the building when it was built.  When they are white, they speak of purity, the whiter than snow element of salvation.  A bright sunny day makes taking pictures of them difficult sometimes, but if the setting is just right, a mighty tree helps the balance, cuts the white, the camera will capture its beauty.

 

But our white churches, though full of the Christian symbolism, seldom resemble the Israelite Chapel ~ the inner and outer sanctuaries of the Tent Church of the Old Testament.  Above, in I Kings, 2 verses tell us something about the inner room of the inner sanctuary.  This is where the Ark of the Covenant stood.  In drawings of this that I have seen the wings of the cherubim stand straight up. But this first verse clearly indicates they were stretched out to touch the wall. And touched each other at the center. These amazing gold covered carvings were a massive tribute to the extent God will go to protect the covenants he makes with us. 

The inner room of the inner sanctuary symbolize our spirit and soul within our heart, and the Covenant hidden within the ark, the covenant of Salvation, and the presence of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. It was a concept the Old Testament Saints could not perceive. But to us it should be clear. Sometimes I think our modern churches should have something of that symbolism included, but we must remain distant from an appearance of remaining held under the "Law." We are freed from it by Grace, of course, and the rituals of the priest entering the sanctuaries yearly are markedly, attached to understanding how dealt with the People under the Law.

 

But I want to look more at the artistic nuances of the old inner sanctuary. I relate so much to the artistic heart of the person who carved those spreading wings that must center the ark on the room, and have each wing tip touch the walls precisely. Then the artisan skills to cover them with gold. Imagining the beauty of this thing unfold as he worked, fills my spirit with awe. And then he carved cherubim, palm trees and flowers all around the walls. What a commitment! I am sure each item had a spiritual significance to them. Open flowers reflect the fullness of the of the process, the near completion of their closeness to God. the beauty of their worship, the fragrance of their finished work and God's.

 

As I was taking the picture of the Cove Methodist Church, my husband asked if there were an angle which would allow me to photograph the inside through those massive windows.  As I read this passage, I thought of how this scripture was like a window into the inner sanctums of the heart of this "church", where none other than the Priests would be able to enter eventually.  Once it was finished, the place became Holy for all time. I wonder how many people enter a church these days, and think this place reflects my heart, the dwelling place of the Spirit, the place where I meet God on his terms. And do it with a commitment to beauty.  To make the experience a labor of love, of design, of intent, of expecting a future ending in magnificent balance, centering, light, magnificence.  I used to as a child, and as I grew, I set it aside, thinking I was a bit melodramatic. But God wasn't melodramatic at all. Beauty was a part of his expectation when dealing with mankind.  He wants us to have a beautiful place in which to worship him. To me they go hand in hand.

 

But I am made aware that I might work on my own commitment to inner beauty, that the place where I meet God in my inner most being could be a place that is a pleasure to go, is an awe inspiring time each time I go. A golden experience.

 

Lord, help me make commitments to beauty, and know that I may have expectations to succeed, in your name. AMEN