1 Timothy 2:8-15
When you picture worship and fellowship with The Lord, what is the posture you imagine? Is it praying on your knees? Is it laying prostrate arms outstretched as you speak and listen to Him? Is it dancing and singing songs of praise to Him? Or perhaps like me it is standing with arms raised as I pray, sing, or praise. Whichever position and attitude you picture it is beautiful to God. It communicates submission, acquiescence, and veneration to Him.
In those times, we are not exalting ourselves. We are not concerned with how we look to the world, we are with God, blessing Him, and receiving what He has for us. And when people see it, they may think we look off-balance or silly, but they also see a testimony to the Love of Jesus. They see God’s relationship with us in its purest form. And they see the joy of being with Him. Verses 8-10 read,
“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”
That worship posture, which by the way also includes church unity and peace, is expressed in the confidence of humility. We don’t have to “dress to impress” when we live lives of worship and faith. It is not a tiara, diamonds, make-up, or a little black dress that makes a woman more attractive, it is good works. It is not a low cut blouse and a push-up bra that invite people to want to know more about a woman and why she exudes that special something, it is her faith and tangible love of others. It is the same for a man, it is not the leather jacket, tuxedo, or perfectly coiffed hair that makes someone want to ask “what is it about him?” It is His faith and the exercising of it.
You are already beautiful! Really! You don’t need the fancy clothes, jewelry, or skin cream. You were created in the image of God. Could you get any more beautiful than that? Genesis 1:26-27 says,
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.”
Even the angels think you are beautiful! (Genesis 6:2). What do we care what men and women think, when the angels and God think we are beautiful? God, Himself considers you beautiful! Psalm 45:11 says,
“and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.”
God desires your beauty and it is best exhibited by your worship of Him. Would you rather a construction worker or a cougar desire you than The Lord God of Heaven and Earth? If you are beautiful to God, don’t you know how beautiful you are to men and women of God?
Men and women reveal their beauty differently. Men by their prayer and spiritual loving leadership and women by their humility and quiet grace. Paul continues his exhortations for women to live godly lives and so be beautiful attracting people to Jesus and pleasing The Lord. Verses 11-15 read,
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”
He understands that women have more of a tendency toward the vanity of sexual splendor than men do. This is because men improperly exhibit their beauty through aggressive power and lust for women, making women want to please men sexually. Women then control men through sexual manipulation.
Most of the time when a woman has a child, it changes her point of view from herself to her child. That brings her closer to an ability to understand the love of her Father in Heaven.
Believer, you are beautiful to God! When you live a life of faith, love, and holiness you are exquisite in the sight of God and men. Your posture of worship is beautiful, it is the core of your relationship with God and a testimony to the world. Your submission to God makes you impeccably beautiful.
When you picture worship and fellowship with The Lord, what is the posture you imagine? Is it praying on your knees? Is it laying prostrate arms outstretched as you speak and listen to Him? Is it dancing and singing songs of praise to Him? Or perhaps like me it is standing with arms raised as I pray, sing, or praise. Whichever position and attitude you picture it is beautiful to God. It communicates submission, acquiescence, and veneration to Him.
In those times, we are not exalting ourselves. We are not concerned with how we look to the world, we are with God, blessing Him, and receiving what He has for us. And when people see it, they may think we look off-balance or silly, but they also see a testimony to the Love of Jesus. They see God’s relationship with us in its purest form. And they see the joy of being with Him. Verses 8-10 read,
“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”
That worship posture, which by the way also includes church unity and peace, is expressed in the confidence of humility. We don’t have to “dress to impress” when we live lives of worship and faith. It is not a tiara, diamonds, make-up, or a little black dress that makes a woman more attractive, it is good works. It is not a low cut blouse and a push-up bra that invite people to want to know more about a woman and why she exudes that special something, it is her faith and tangible love of others. It is the same for a man, it is not the leather jacket, tuxedo, or perfectly coiffed hair that makes someone want to ask “what is it about him?” It is His faith and the exercising of it.
You are already beautiful! Really! You don’t need the fancy clothes, jewelry, or skin cream. You were created in the image of God. Could you get any more beautiful than that? Genesis 1:26-27 says,
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.”
Even the angels think you are beautiful! (Genesis 6:2). What do we care what men and women think, when the angels and God think we are beautiful? God, Himself considers you beautiful! Psalm 45:11 says,
“and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.”
God desires your beauty and it is best exhibited by your worship of Him. Would you rather a construction worker or a cougar desire you than The Lord God of Heaven and Earth? If you are beautiful to God, don’t you know how beautiful you are to men and women of God?
Men and women reveal their beauty differently. Men by their prayer and spiritual loving leadership and women by their humility and quiet grace. Paul continues his exhortations for women to live godly lives and so be beautiful attracting people to Jesus and pleasing The Lord. Verses 11-15 read,
“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”
He understands that women have more of a tendency toward the vanity of sexual splendor than men do. This is because men improperly exhibit their beauty through aggressive power and lust for women, making women want to please men sexually. Women then control men through sexual manipulation.
Most of the time when a woman has a child, it changes her point of view from herself to her child. That brings her closer to an ability to understand the love of her Father in Heaven.
Believer, you are beautiful to God! When you live a life of faith, love, and holiness you are exquisite in the sight of God and men. Your posture of worship is beautiful, it is the core of your relationship with God and a testimony to the world. Your submission to God makes you impeccably beautiful.
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