The beauty of a God

Who comes near

Is not seen in the value

Of that which

He draws near to

The beauty and glory

The wonder and value

Of a God who draws near

Is seen

In the God who

Draws near

He draws near

Not because of our worth

But because

Of His

It is not because of

My excellence

That the divine one comes

For there is no excellence

In me

Apart from what he places there

The drawing near

Of this divine one

To a created thing

His created thing

Is because of

His excellence

To make much of His

Excellency and value

Oh and what excellency

Exists there!

His drawing near

Has nothing to do

With my worth

But only His

May I never revel

In my beauty and value

But only His!

Isaiah 48:1-11

Isaiah 48:1–11 (ESV): Israel Refined for God’s Glory

48 Hear this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came from the waters of Judah,

  who swear by the name of the Lord

and confess the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

 2  For they call themselves after the holy city,

and stay themselves on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name.

 3  “The former things I declared of old;

they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;

then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.

 4  Because I know that you are obstinate,

and your neck is an iron sinew

and your forehead brass,

 5  I declared them to you from of old,

before they came to pass I announced them to you,

  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,

my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’

 6  “You have heard; now see all this;

and will you not declare it?

  From this time forth I announce to you new things,

hidden things that you have not known.

 7  They are created now, not long ago;

before today you have never heard of them,

lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’

 8  You have never heard, you have never known,

from of old your ear has not been opened.

  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,

and that from before birth you were called a rebel.

 9  “For my name’s sake I defer my anger;

for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,

that I may not cut you off.

 10  Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;

I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

 11  For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,

for how should my name be profaned?

My glory I will not give to another.