Made Beautiful | Qualities of Women Who Trust Jesus

“… because He has made you beautiful.” - Isaiah 60:9

Philosophy departments at prominent universities dedicate entire fields of study to the concept of beauty. Motivated students devote their lives to become experts in aesthetics: the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.

Each one of us has a personal sense of aesthetic, an internal meter that gauges the level of beauty we take in with our senses. And each of our aesthetic meters are as unique as our fingerprints.

What brings delight to your mind and heart? Which factors determine whether or not something is categorized as beautiful to you? These are important questions to consider because they can reveal certain assumptions we operate under, assumptions that impact our sense of personal value when it comes to whether or not we feel beautiful.

One definition of beauty states that it is a quality that brings intense pleasure, delight, and deep satisfaction to the mind. This means we are beautiful… even when we don’t feel like it. We know this is true because the Bible speaks of us, God’s children, as being a great delight to him— to the point that we illicit a reaction of joyful singing from Him (Zephaniah 3:17)!

How is this possible?! With our selfishness and impatience, our discontentment and distrust, our bad hair days and wrinkling skin, He accept us as his own, changes our status and delights in us (Isaiah 62:4).

Isaiah writes extensively about this phenomenon of God delighting in us. In a prophetic book that takes us through the history of God’s interactions with His people, the Israelites, the prophet highlights themes of God’s judgement and salvation, justice and mercy. He outlines the judgement poured out on the nations during His own lifetime and then predicts future events of God’s judgement and salvation through Israelite captivity and rescue (all of which came true).

In his predictions, Isaiah writes about a Servant who would suffer and bring salvation once and for all to the people of God. It’s clear that everything he foretells about the Servant is fulfilled in the life of Jesus. Throughout his book, but most highly concentrated in its final chapters, Isaiah describes the transformation that this Servant provides for God’s people.

Where they were once described as forsaken, desolate and mournful, now they are clothed with righteousness, salvation and beauty (Isaiah 60-62). People from all over the world will notice and favor the nation of God “because He has made [her] beautiful” (Isaiah 60:4-9).

Israel’s transformation from captivity to deliverance and restoration is a physical and historical representation of the renewal you and I experience in Christ.

In each of our personal journeys, we have moved through a similar cycle of realizing our state of bondage, calling out to God for rescue and experiencing His salvation. We were forgiven of our sin and saved by grace once and for all at the very moment we called on Jesus. We have assurance that we will spend eternity with him — fully renewed and perfectly beautiful forever.

In the meantime, our lives here on earth continue to reflect this cycle of realizing our need, calling out for help and receiving salvation as we are being sanctified until Christ returns. This is why we struggle with body image issues, feelings of worthlessness, and self-deprecating thought patterns— our hearts are struggling to catch up with the transformation that has already taken place within us.

Let’s resolve to believe what our loving Father says about us. In doing so, we’ll begin to move quicker through the sanctification cycle. When those negative thoughts about ourselves rise to the surface, let’s be quick to recognize our need, call out to the Lord and receive his salvation as we remember the truth about who we are. We have been — and are continuing to be— transformed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16)! We are daughters who bring great delight to our Heavenly Father. In him, we are made beautiful.

For Your Journal

Find It:

In this portion of your journal, write out a Bible verse. You can find a verse that fits a current life situation or use the one we used in today’s devotion.

“… because He has made you beautiful.” - Isaiah 60:9

Fix It:

In this portion of your journal, pull out a few key words from the verse you chose above, or summarize the verse in your own words. Write it in pretty lettering or sketch something that will help you visualize the meaning of the verse and fix it in your mind. Repeat these words to yourself throughout the week to remind you of the truth contained in the scripture. Here are some options:

He makes me beautiful

I am beautiful

Feel It:

In this portion of your journal, write out a prayer. The goal is to absorb the meaning of the Bible passage and let it take root in your heart. Ask the Lord to let his word change you by the power of his Spirit. Surrender any areas of your life that you are trying to control.

Lord, thank you for the reminder that you are a God who transforms! You have made me beautiful by the renewing power of the cross— help me to feel this truth deep in my heart today. When I get down myself, give me strength to believe that I bring delight to you. You are renewing me day by day, and in you, I am beautiful.