Pray Without Ceasing

An excerpt from the Self Esteem Chapter: The bottom line here is this: many of us are unable, or unwilling, to trust our instincts. Millions of people, especially women, go through life under subtle control of what society deems as appropriate. We are distracted by sidelines such as wealth competitiveness, academic superiority, power, beauty, and, most destructively, judgements upon our very worth. We tend to measure ourselves, our value, against the perceived status or achievements of other people. Think about the standards that we believe are the benchmarks of our success and ponder the genesis of the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses”. How has our lifestyle served to effectively squash our instincts? Are there pieces of your life that you feel are not natural? This concept requires some reflection, and over the course of the next few days, you may begin to identify lifestyle choices that you are making, yet they feel as if they are somehow “off”. The questions now present: do we believe ourselves? Do we trust ourselves? Why have we abdicated our natural tendencies, to live in a system which serves those in power? How do we re-program? How do we learn, or re-learn, or remember who we are? Let us find refuge and renewal within our instinctive, natural selves. Let us stand by ourselves, and our decisions, with conviction. You are the only one who truly knows who you are. And your decisions are good, and right, and made in freedom and in knowing. Never forget. Beauty What is beauty and how is it evaluated? Society defines, and judges, beauty in humans using the following descriptors: thin, well-dressed, appearance of wealth and success, skin concealed by artificial make up, perfectly coiffed hair, youthful, and sexy. In order to be deemed attractive and beautiful, we are oftentimes required to conform to these, and many other, unreasonable standards. People seek out body sculpting specialists, plastic surgeons, and other professionals who, often surgically, manipulate bodies and faces in order to conform. For better, or for worse, this is the culture that many of us live within. Join me now as I examine what God says about beauty. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty. Exodus 28:2. Are we dressed to do God’s work? Are we wearing clothes that were made according to His design? Or are we overly concerned with designer brands, and latest trends? And, even more importantly, have we checked the supply chain of the clothing we purchase to ensure the garments were not sourced through the horror of labor trafficking (see https://betterworldshopper.org). Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Psalm 50:2. Zion is an elevated place where King David built himself a palace. The hill is esteemed for its natural beauty and full sunlight on all sides. But Zion has a second interpretation. It is also used as a reference to the House of Israel, God’s Chosen People. So, on one hand, we are left with the understanding that Zion, the physical location, is a beautiful, natural area. And, on the other hand, we also now see that God’s creations (people) are beautiful, simply because they are His. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord , and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord ; for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Chronicles 20:21. “...the beauty of holiness…” What more needs to be said? “...to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called Trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3. God's restoration, and His restorative words, describe beauty in such a sacred and holy manner, with such vivid imagery, and with such passion, that we wholly comprehend: true beauty is found only in God--in His power, His creations, His words, His love, and His gifts. No thing in our world is able to rival His creations of pristine and pure beauty. How far have we strayed from the understanding that a collection of material belongings is not what defines beauty. The Book of Matthew: Chapter 6 depicts this philosophy, as it proceeded straight out of the mouth of Jesus. Proverbs 31 tells a story of the true beauty which lies in commitment. Women are deemed as beautiful in the eyes of God and their community because they love, serve, laugh, create, and celebrate. Ezekiel is full of references to the beauty of Israel, and his stern teachings, similar to those in the Book of Lamentations, speak of the reputation of Israel’s beauty due to its piousness as a community. In a devastating fall from grace, the children of Israel are no longer considered beautiful: How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger! Lamentations 2:1. There is no other conclusion, at least for me, that beauty comes directly from God. Thus, do we now believe that true beauty lies in our relationship with God? A final word about beauty-- “hozho naasha” is a phrase in the Navajo/Dineh language which describes their philosophy that the true nature of humanity is beautiful. It translates as “walking in beauty”. This phrase illustrates their practices which honour all creation, and their belief that all creation is good.