I just returned from a wonderful trip to Austria with a dear friend. Traveling from city to town, we visited majestic churches, soaked in stunning landscapes, and met some beautiful people.
While exploring Vienna, we found our way to Votivkirche (pictured), a neo-gothic cathedral built in the latter half of the 19th century. Granted, by European standards, this is quite new as several of the churches we saw had been standing for multiple centuries. Still, I was struck by the exterior of Votivkirche which shimmered in the sunlight.
Vienna is full of ornate architecture, and as we walked around the church, I absentmindedly turned and saw a nearby building that also was beautiful. Had it been elsewhere, this structure may have itself drawn admiration. But in the shadow of the cathedral, its beauty faded.
It struck me that this is how the beauty of earthly things fades alongside the beauty of Jesus.
David expressed it this way in Psalm 27:4: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”
If the beauty of an earthly cathedral can so captivate our attention and overshadow other seeming beauties, how much more does the beauty of Jesus captivate our hearts and make us long to look into His face.
And as we fix our eyes on Him and seek His face, other beauties lose their luster.
A great thought to ponder during the day…our majestic Jesus and His beauty…
Amen, Donna!
A powerful analogy! Thank you again, Gina, for an inspiring, thought-provoking blog.