Are Looks Important???

When I began to seek God concerning the man He had created me for, I was very open and honest in my prayers. He knows everything anyway, so I figured no point in lying to myself. My prayer life really transformed a few years ago, and through His word and the Holy Spirit, He speaks to me very clearly. My prayers are no longer one-sided. We truly have conversation.

So, I made a very specific list of all the things I wanted in a man/relationship. When I say specific, I mean it. That list has more than 50 things on it, and it grows as I grow. He said that He would give me the desires of my heart, in accordance to His word. (Now, understanding "heart's desires" is another issue altogether. He taught me about that, too.)

But when I learned to really listen in prayer, I began to hear God speak. And He cannot lie. The more honest I was in talking to Him, the more He revealed to me. I referred to my list often to be sure that the things I was asking for were in line with His word and what He wanted for me.

Several things on my list have to do with physical appearance. I asked God if I was being superficial in my requests. Was it really the desire of my heart or the lust of my flesh? I'd be completely lying if I said looks weren't important to me. I knew it and He knew it. So He gave me a word to help me out.

"And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground -- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food."
(Genesis 2:9a)

This scripture may seem simple and could easily go overlooked, but it meant the world to me! It says so much about how much God loves us, even from the beginning of creation. So many things are revealed in just that one sentence.

• He made all kinds of trees.

This means that He created man to have different likes and tastes. He likes us to have choices. The gift of choice is wonderful! He made sure to cater to our many various preferences. 
 

• He made trees that were pleasing to the eye.

This was may favorite part! This meant that God cared about what I thought was attractive or beautiful. Truly this was a perk. The trees provided food and nourishment; that's the only real requirement to sustain life. But He loves us so much that He cares that we have beautiful things to look at.

• He made trees that were good for food.

We can get caught up in things that are "pleasing to the eye", but as far as necessity goes, we NEED food. Physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, we need to be nourished for proper growth. To sustain abundant life and wholeness, to truly "prosper and be in good health even as our souls prosper” (3 John 1:2), none of these areas can go lacking.

When considering these things, remember this: God's will for us is perfect. God's creation of earth was perfect and remained so until sin entered (and that didn't come until Genesis chapter 3). In God's perfect will, He cares about what's important to us. He proved it by giving us variety, beauty, and necessity.

Don't feel bad about caring about looks or beauty. Know that God cares, too. He knows what you like and prefer, and He doesn't mind catering blessings to fit your taste. It's a wonderful form of favor! Remember that there is nothing too small or trivial or superficial to take to God. He cares about what we care about (1 Peter 5:7). He's just awesome like that!