Whatever is Lovely - Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

I'm certain that it is no coincidence that a key point yesterday in my cousin's eulogy of my aunt was Philippians 4:8 and particularly "whatever is lovely", the next in this series of prayer blogs, my cousin knowing nothing about this blog. When he said those words, I smiled at how you often do things like that, small things, just to remind me that you are there.

My prayer for these children and for those raising them is that they seek out what is lovely in your creation. Though as conscientious followers of your Son, we cannot and should not ignore what is wrong with this fallen world and the suffering and heart ache that comes from the current imperfection of our world, your servant Paul is telling us that we need to lift our eyes from the muck and messiness of this world to see that which is still lovely. Doing so allows us a glimpse of creation as you intended it and as it will again be some day when you redeem it. And in that is hope.

I pray that they do not become so busy in their lives or so calloused of heart that they do not stop often to admire beauty and thank you for it.

But I also pray that they seek beauty in things that may not at first glance appear to have beauty, both in nature, but more importantly in people, your children. So quickly we categorize people as beautiful, plain or ugly. We have an easier time seeing the inward beauty of people who are not beautiful in physical appearance, though not without effort to overcome first impressions. But we have great difficulty seeing beauty in people who have great inward ugliness (or at least their inward ugliness is more apparent than the rest of us). I pray that you instill in these children, a strong sense that in each person, there is inward beauty if they will look for it and cultivate it, though sometimes it will be well hidden. I pray that they will seek this beauty and encourage it. To understand that weeds often have beautiful flowers and that one person's weed is another person's treasure and that with you there is beauty in all.

I pray that they also see the beauty in themselves. Self examination is important as we strive to improve. But being overly critical of ourselves is harmful. I pray that they are able to healthily evaluate themselves, but that they give themselves permission to also seek out, acknowledge and admire the beautiful things about themselves, particularly their inward beauty. Help them to know and appreciate that these are flowers that you have planted within them, a part of your created beauty and that they can be thankful for what you are doing in their lives and to recognize that it is not egotistical to accept that they are your children, created in your image, and though they are, as is all creation, corrupted by sin, there is still your created beauty about them and within them. And this is what will remain when you redeem them at the renewing of all things.

Amen