He made chains like a necklace and put them on the tops of the pillars, and he made a hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains. (II Chronicles 3:16 ESV)
Icing
My best friend and I once rebuilt a 1965 Chevrolet Panel Truck (a sort of early suburban). We fixed the engine. We reran the wiring. We fancified the interior. We painted it (by trial and error) a deep dark blue, with waves (instead of the usual flames) of light blue.
I must say, it was pretty nice.
Then my mother crafted tiny wooden and stained glass coach lights for the interior.
Those lights were not necessary. The truck was beautiful without them.
But the fine detail was the icing on the cake.
The Temple in Jerusalem was beautiful. Entire Biblical chapters are used to describe the long awaited building that represented God’s presence among His people. The plans were amazing. The construction was amazing. The wood and stone were amazing.
But on this world-renown beautiful building, craftsmen made icing for the cake.
It is clear that God likes beautiful things.
And most beautiful to Him are His children.
Not because of our appearance, skills, or personality.
But because we are made in HIS image.
Through (and only through) our relationship with His beautiful Son, Christ Jesus.
The chains and pomegranates He crafts around us are often forged with tears and troubles. They are often molded with our experiences of joy and happiness. They are often made in a way that we do not notice them at first.
But because of your creation, God’s people are beautiful. And since He loves beauty, He puts icing on our cake.