Wonder
When was the last time you felt wonder?
Do you remember the last time your senses were overwhelmed and you froze in amazement, inhaling with great awe? Where were you and what was happening?
Honestly, there are hundreds of subtle wonders surrounding our every movement but we too often are blind to such treats because we become numb to redundancy. We neglect to recognize our own breath, heartbeat, and eyesight because we expect these profound miracles to replicate as required. We walk by painted skies and trample through delicate landscapes because that same scene has danced before us for weeks. We rarely ponder the cycle of the moon or Earth’s perfect distance from the sun because there is an infinite God that takes care of those big wonders.
If we pause and take in the scenes around us, we can most definitely pinpoint the wonders around us. Of course, part of the Christmas season is to do exactly that: take pause. Slow down and breathe in the wonders of our life, all the small miracles of repetition that sustain our relationships, our homes, and our very lives. In this recognition, we profess our gratitude to our Savior, the very One who simultaneously spins the Earth on its perfect axis while intimately responding with grace and love in our circumstances.
But back to our question - when was the last time you were overwhelmed with wonder? So much so that you couldn’t ignore the moment; so much so that the moment has become date-stamped in your heart?
I remember the first time we took our daughter to Disneyland. I really didn’t want to make the trip as she was only eighteen months and I thought that was too young for a full day at Disney. However, our whole extended family was going which meant I would have to be one of those annoying parents juggling a toddler and stroller at the happiest place on Earth. My daughter does not remember that trip, but I sure do. All day she was delightfully enamored with the lights, sounds, and smells. Her eyes were large with wonder as she clapped and danced with the parade and every character stop came with squeals of joy and blown kisses. Her whole demeanor glowed that day and it is forever stamped in my memory. Her wonder became my wonder - amazed at her little personality connecting with every song, smile, and sparkle.
In reflection, wonder exploded when I walked down a simple church aisle to begin forever with my very best friend. Wonder overwhelmed me when my infants were first placed in my arms. Wonder infiltrated as God orchestrated precise steps in our lives regarding employment, homes, and other provisions. Wonder pulsates as I get a front-row seat to the development of my children’s gifts and personalities. Wonder also takes deep root when I am honored to play a small part in God’s redemptive story in someone else’s life. There is such amazement in how He moves, how He changes lives, and how He invites us to partake.
After all, this is where wonder has its roots. Wonder exists because He is wonderful.
God Almighty, Wonderful Counselor, Creator, Eternal Hope, Everlasting Love. Giver of His only Son, Jesus, who became Wonder in flesh.
Even in His humanity, Jesus emulated wonder with His very presence. People took notice and were “overwhelmed with wonder”* and “took delight in the wonders He was doing.”* After all, the most astonishing thing is the very gift of the Wonderous King in the humble manger. His robes traded for swaddles, His voice replaced with whimpers and cries, and His crown substituted with a cradle. His sovereignty was not lost, stripped, or reduced in His coming; rather, it became even more profound as He willingly gave up so much so that we could all be redeemed. This is wonder at its best. A perfect Christ breathing with human lungs, experiencing human emotions of loneliness, angst, and rejection, and dying a brutal, painful human death. Wonder Himself humbly embracing this all so that we could marvel at His saving grace, accept Him as our Lord and Savior, and admiringly worship Him for His sacrifice.
When was the last time you experienced wonder in Christ? When was the last time your senses were overwhelmed and you froze in amazement, inhaling with great awe? Has it been a while? Maybe, like so many other repetitions in our lives, we have taken the wonder of the Wonderful Counselor for granted. It is possible for us to rush through the prayers, the Scripture, the carols, and the season of Advent while never experiencing the wonder in any of it. The awe is replaced by tradition and checklists. The amazement is lost in business and commercialism. The astonishment is tarnished by our own brokenness and despair. And as January creeps up, we dismiss another holiday season without ever experiencing the wonder.
My friend, do not let this be a chapter in your story this season. Sometimes, our assumptions are wrong. I assumed Disneyland with an eighteen month would be miserable, but it ended up being wonderfully delightful. Don’t allow everyone else’s expectations to trap you in a holiday performance. Don’t assume that the holiday will fail without all the tinsel, treats, and tricks. Don’t assume that tomorrow will be the day to slow down and breathe in the glory of the Christchild. Start with today, right now. Look around you. Look inside you. Invite the Wonder back into this moment, this season, this year.
It is likely you will notice that there is a lot to cause great wonder, but my prayer is that the greatest wonder is found in the wonderful story of Christ. May your senses be overwhelmed as you take in the manger scene - Perfection sent to penetrate the darkness. May your eyes sparkle with tears of joy as you embrace the reality that Jesus came to save your soul. May you be overwhelmed with the wonders He is doing in your home, family, health, finances, and dreams. Be amazed at the miraculous wonders around you but be transformed by the Miracle Maker, the Wonderous Christ, and mark this as a life-changing Christmas, one that is date-stamped differently in your heart than past Christmases.
Merry Christmas my friend,
* 1 Mark 9:15
* 2 Luke 13:17
I invite you to grab a cup of coffee, tea, or chai and sit with me. If you haven’t yet purchased God’s Big Ask, you can do so here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGKHY7KM
