Gratuitous Beauty

Some television shows are very violent; more violent than necessary. They show violence for violence sake. Marketing is usually the reason behind it. Violence sells. Therefore, gratuitous violence is a way to boost sales. It is an advertising gimmick. God has done something similar with beauty. He has gratuitously adorned this world with beauty. It advertises His goodness. It is not necessary beauty. It is not essential to the creation itself. Beauty is a bonus.
Flowers are an example of gratuitous beauty. There is a great variety of colors, shapes, sizes and textures. Aromas range from sweet to pungent, strong to subtle. Beauty resides in a snowflake, a feather, a tree, and rocks (Genesis 2:9; Job 38:22; Hosea 14:5-6; Matthew 6:28-29; Luke12:27).
The abundant display of beauty advertises the glory and majesty of God (1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 19:1-2). We can see his very attributes from the beauty of His creation, including His divine nature and eternal power. If we look at the gratuitous beauty around us, we have no excuse for not recognizing God. (Romans 1:20).
God has not left himself without a witness. He has surrounded us with beauty to marvel at, to contemplate and appreciate the kind of God who creates such things. A God of blessing and beauty. The next time you look at a flower; the delicate texture, the fragile petal, the vibrant color, and smell the aroma, let all of your senses take in the beauty and reflect on the glory of the one who scatters such things throughout our lives. Beautiful world. Breathtaking God (Job 42:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17).

Spiritual Surgery

The Bible addresses us as the Word of God. It has authority and power. It is meant to be obeyed and to show us the way (Psalm 119:101, 105). That is why it is called a light. It also  shines in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19) to show us who we are and where we come up short. God does this so that we will know ourselves more clearly and see what needs to be added or removed in our lives to fall in line with his will and to live lives pleasing to Him.

It is interesting that God's Word is sometimes referred to as a sword (Ephesians 6:17). A sword cuts, and sometimes it cuts both ways (Hebrews 4:12). Spiritually, God attends His Word with the Holy Spirit. When He speaks to us through His Word it is the job of the Holy Spirit to show us where we come up short and to make us feel the need to make things right. This is called conviction. God makes us sorry we have not done as we ought to have done things (2 Corinthians 7:10-13).

Conviction is meant to lead us to repentance and to separate us from sin (Matthew 3:8; Romans 2:4). As a sword it is able to cut through our defenses. God uses it to discipline and correct. Though tears may come when we realize our sin, joy comes as we begin to understand that it is not too late (Acts 11:18). God does not send conviction to those he has given up on. He sends conviction in order to work in us what is pleasing to him (Romans 12:2; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:21). He is a great craftsman. The more He works on us, the more we are made into His image. God performs precision surgery with his written Word. A Bible becomes a Surgical instrument so that we might be crafted into his workmanship. May our lives show that they have been transformed by the hand of the great surgeon (Titus 2:11-14).