Beauty should be a concept that isn’t confined to museums. Dr. Nelson made this comment when we arrived in downtown Chicago this morning and right before we stepped onto our architectural river tour. I was struck by how profound this was. Here we are in one of America’s grandest cities and there is great beauty everywhere.
I then challenged our young people to consider how beauty reflects God’s majesty. Music, for instance, is easy for us to understand. The Bible speaks often of singing, playing, and the importance of music to worship. Poetry, is also easy to recognize. There are many forms of art that easily draw our minds to God. But what about everything else? While I believe everyone can sing, not everyone is called to pursue it as a profession.
Just before we boarded the boats, I asked the students to consider how amazingly God has designed each of us, and how, by using the gifts he has given us, everything we do can stand as a testament to Him. I choose believe that those buildings, and that architecture stand as evidence to a God who has empowered us to think, and dream.
We then spent quite a bit of time in one of the large parks in the city. Here we saw yet another kind of beauty. Green, vibrant, alive the creation was testifying to its Creator. It was a joy to be in nature, if even for a moment.
Our evening ended with a symphony concert in the park. This was a perfect way to cap off our day. The music was unknown to us, but it was done so incredibly well that we were again reminded that God has given us great beauty to enjoy and to help remember Him.