dev196 - Lasting Beauty

“He has also set eternity in their heart…”

Ecclesiastes 3:11b

Recently I had the privilege of attending a youth camp in the small mountain village of Grindelwald, Switzerland. I paid little attention to my surroundings as my train scaled this scenic section of the Swiss Alps, so I wasn’t ready for the bombardment of beauty that hit me when I stepped out of the car. As I descended onto the quai, I lost my breath for a moment, gazing at the mountain in all its regal glory. I had no choice but to stop for a minute and allow my eyes to soak in the beauty that had turned my mind heavenward.

It took me a few minutes to regain myself before continuing on my way. I walked a few hundred meters to our camp, never actually escaping the mountain’s regard. Every few steps I couldn’t help glancing at the majesty that was blessing me.

Business started, however, when I arrived at the camp. I had to find my room and make sure the youth who were with me got settled. I started meeting the other youth and their leaders, anticipating the friendships I would form that week. I got my schedule and reviewed through my teaching sessions.

The week passed as we progressed through the schedule. Early morning meetings proceeded to Bible studies, lunch, and free time. Evening worship and church devotions concluded the day, only to get up early the next morning to do it again. It was a good camp where many spiritual seeds were sown.

One evening after worship I walked back alone. As I was thinking through the day and what God was doing in my group, I spotted the mountain noticing me. Suddenly, I remembered that there was a mountain there. I ashamedly admitted to myself that I had forgotten the mountain. How had I gotten bored with the beauty that had once captivated me?

Unfortunately, this happens to me often, though I think it is an experience that is common to all people. I am comforted when I hear men like C.S. Lewis talk about this eluding beauty; a beauty that draws us to itself, fills us with wonder, but doesn’t quite content us; beauty that pricks the eternal part of our soul without quite satisfying it; a beauty that, in the end, can do no more than point us to our truest desires.

Mankind was not made in such a way that he could be satisfied by mountains, no matter how majestic. Created things, at their very best, can only point us to our true desire. These pricks can awaken the eternal part of us, and it is there where are true longings can be discerned. The heavens do declare our desire to us. The heavens declare the glory of God.

God has made us in such a way that our ultimate longings can only be found in him. He is the only Mountain that will never cease to awe us, and he is a Mountain unshakeable. Christ is our ultimate beauty, and only in Him can our craving for beauty be satisfied.

In the meantime, while we await the coming of Beauty incarnate, God has given us smaller beauties as appetizers. The mountain of Grindelwald is no slouch; he does point to God very affectively. My breath was taken away by his gaze, and his speech stirred in me the longing that it desired to awaken. It spoke of the glory of God.