“Oh, how restful is the thought of Eloah’s loveliness!” That is the first line from the song “Eloah” found in Warrior Songs.  For those of us who have had the privilege of singing Sabbath songs together, this one stands out for its haunting capture of the nature and reality of God, As it says under the title, “‘Eloah’ is the lovely, poetic name of God in the singular; a form employed only in the poetry of the ancient Hebrew.”

Another song in the same book, “With Unveiled Face” (138), has the line “He (God) is altogether lovely and is everything to me.”  And the chorus for that song concludes with “and He makes us lovely too.”

In Philippians 4:8 we are exhorted to, among other positive things, think about what is “lovely.”  The lovely is restful and inspiring and stirs something deep within us.  There are those who are lovely of physical features that can stir both good feelings and (for some) base thoughts as well.  But Eloah’s loveliness is like no other.  It is pure and holy and inspiring and uplifting, and yes, restful.  And the glow of a life transformed by faith in Jesus has a loveliness too, something that goes beyond the shape of any physical features.

Our present reality, though, is that we live in a fallen world that is “groaning” (Romans 8:22), not yet being delivered from the “bondage of corruption” into “glorious liberty.”  Along with much good around us, there is the sordid and selfish and falling short of the glory of God that makes for much human suffering and woe and turmoil. And we aren’t just spectators in this, but are all living through what it means to be sons of Adam.

But thank God that the eyes of faith can see more and can tap into an other-worldly outlook, that is “restful.”

Sabbath blessings to all as we take time to give “the lovely” a chance in our contemplations.