Dear Brothers & Sisters,
There are many wonders in all of creation, but there is none fairer than Christ. None comes close to his glory.
The unknown author of the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus understood this. He (or she) wrote,
Fairest Lord Jesus,
ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish,
Thee will I honor,
thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.
Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer,
Jesus is purer
who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine,
fairer still the moonlight,
and all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter,
Jesus shines purer
than all the angels heaven can boast.
Beautiful Savior!
Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor,
praise, adoration,
now and forevermore be thine.
(written c. 1600s [or potentially earlier])
Listen to the song here: https://youtu.be/La3O7DU8GNU?si=M4YS9LHNjkCOD3i8
He did not look so wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger. Yet, He was and is the King of beauty; the one who made the soft beauty of the spring flowers and the blazing light of the sun.
In psalm 45, we read the following description of our King Jesus.
[1] My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. [2] You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. [3] Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your splendor and majesty! [4] In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds! [5] Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you. [6] Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; [7] you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
Hymns like "fairest Lord Jesus" and Psalms like Psalm 45 remind us of the immeasurable worthiness of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are easily captivated and impressed by all sorts of beauty in this world, yet the beauty of Christ surpasses all things. Indeed, Christ our God is so far above all creation that all comparisons fall short. That he so fair a King should love us (to the point of death) while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8) is astonishingly good news and a great comfort to all who trust in Christ.
Ponder the following quote,
"O fair sun, and fair moon, and fair stars, and fair flowers, and fair roses, and fair lilies, and fair creatures! but, O ten thousand, thousand times fairer Lord Jesus! Alas, I wronged him in making the comparison this way. O black sun and moon; but O fair Lord Jesus! O black flowers, and black lilies and roses; but O fair fair, ever fair Lord Jesus! O all fair things, black deformed, and without beauty, when ye are set beside the fairest Lord Jesus! O black heaven, but O fair Christ! O black angels, but O surpassingly fair Lord Jesus" (John Flaval, letter to his cousin, March 14th, 1671).
Do you think that the most lovely things in all the world are as dung compared with the glory of Christ? Then you are beginning to understand the matchless glory of Christ our Lord. Fair indeed is the world that Christ has made, but Christ the maker is fairer beyond measure.
Treasure him, my brothers and sisters. Don't give His glory to another, adore Him only.
Grace & Peace,
Matt
Matthew Deneault
Pastor at Christ Community Fellowship
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