wonder - Jeremiah's Vow

Lent 2022 | Day 22: Wonderful

A cursory search for the etymology of the word wonderful shows it is derived from two words. The words “wonder” and the word “full”. This should not be surprising. But what is interesting is that the word wonder is an old word describing something that is miraculous or astonishing. Therefore, when we say that something is wonderful we are describing the quality of the object to which we are referring. That it is something marvelous and worthy of being astonished at.

We too often use words like this in ways that may not necessarily measure up as well as we might think. Many times we describe things as wonderful that are truly aesthetically beautiful or pleasing to the eye. They just may not necessarily be filled with wonder themselves. And I’m not trying to get too technical at this description of the word. My desire is merely to highlight the unique attribute of how this word had been used and may be found useful to use again.

Within the Christian faith, there are several things worthy of being wondered over. Things such as the grace of God in his mercy, the sacrifice of Christ for sinners, and even being able to gather together with other believers. I know that not everyone would agree that these are wonderful. But I think that’s part of the problem. The fact that these things exist and that we can be partakers of them is exactly what makes them wonderful. Just because they may appear to be ordinary by the standards of some does not make them any less astonishing.

Of all the things which we could find wonderful, the presence of God among his people is one of the most astonishing of them all. How God is able to do that is a mystery. But it is not a mystery that has been kept hidden from us. It is a mystery that now resides in the open. For when we gather to sing and celebrate, to study and share our lives together, to serve those around us we are told God is among us as well.

It is through the simple acts of living life, aware of his promises, that it becomes a reality to us. Too often we try to fabricate a divine encounter by using means that stimulate our emotions. But that only serves to cloud God’s presence in our lives. There is a sense in which our ability to apprehend those things filled with the quality of producing wonder requires a stillness we are not always comfortable entering into.

Every year in the 40 days prior to Easter we are given an opportunity to slow down. To take some time and look back over the course of our lives and the previous year and remember God’s faithfulness to us. And it’s not that we always can see God’s faithfulness. But learning to accept that it is really present even when we’re not as aware of it as we would like.

This is why when I think about those things that elicit wonder in me I think of God’s presence permeating the world in which I live. Similar to the oxygen that I need to breathe but cannot see, God surrounds us with himself.

Lent 2022 | 2nd Sunday in Lent: Celebrate!

Every Sunday in Lent gives us an opportunity to look back over where we have been in the previous week. Throughout this series, each Sunday will focus on a particular aspect of the grace of God. It can be easy for us to think about God’s grace, and think that we understand it. The truth is God’s grace is always more profound than we can imagine.

Therefore, each of the Sundays we’re striving to make sense of one characteristic of God’s grace. By focusing in this way maybe we can deepen our appreciation for what God has provided for us. The sacrifice of Jesus is more than just a “get out of hell free” card. The redemption purchased by the shed blood of Christ is the restoration of our relationship with God himself.

Today we’re going to focus on the wonder of God’s grace.

I think it’s helpful to take the time and ask: what does the word wonder mean?

The sacrifice of Jesus is more than just a “get out of hell free” card. The redemption purchased by the shed blood of Christ is the restoration of our relationship with God himself.
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A cursory search for a definition of the word wonder provides this from Merriam-Webster’s dictionary.

1. “A cause of astonishment or admiration: Marvel”; miracle.

2. The quality of exciting amazed admiration.

3. A. Rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience; B. A feeling of doubt or uncertainty.

These are interesting flavors of the word wonder. The one that stands out as being most closely described in Scripture is the second one. “The quality of exciting amazed admiration.”

When we think about God’s grace, it should elicit in us excitement, amazement, and admiration. Not in some sequential way but all at once. Like the crashing of a wave on the shore. Were sound and effect occur at the same time.

God’s grace is something that cannot be adequately defined. There are many who have tried. And at best those could be described as approximations of the truth. That is not to say those attempts have no value. As a matter of fact, they help us to get closer to what we should know and understand about God’s grace.

What I think is challenging when we try to define God’s grace is that we try to make a connection between what grace is and what we have learned through our experiences in life. And again, there is nothing inherently wrong with that. But these attempts only give us the impression that we know what God’s grace is.

In recent years, instead of trying to describe grace as something we can know, I’ve done my best to talk about it as something we must experience. It’s not something that can be simulated. It’s not something that can be shared with others through words or images. It’s not something that we can approximate.

The best we can do is invite them to journey with God just as we are doing. And to trust that God will remain faithful, not only to his word and promises but also to those who come to him honestly and with a genuine desire to find him.

The longer we live, the longer we walk with the Lord, the less concerned we should be with convincing others of the wonder of God’s grace. We should do all we can to live our lives according to what we claim to have experienced of God’s grace.

In this season of Lent let us rejoice not only in God’s grace but also in that he has been gracious to us.

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Lent 2019 | Day 17: The Wonder of Obedience

When we look at obedience as a chore we can’t see how it produces in us the very things we want to see.

As the years continue to march, I find myself reflecting more. Looking back over my life and wanting to make better decisions today than I did yesterday. I want to become a better person. But this process is complicated by my tendency to shy away from my mistakes. I don’t know too many people that find self-reflection easy to do. It is hard work.

With this in mind, I have started the realized of late, that part of the reason I struggle with obedience is that I tend to see it as restrictive and burdensome. When we look at obedience as a chore we can’t see how it produces in us the very things we want to see. Why do I say this? As a Christian, I want to live a life that is pleasing to God, but if I try to do that according to what I think is right, I will definitely get it wrong.

The only person in the entire universe that knows what will please God is God. God has spoken, and his desires for the world have been written down in the Scriptures. If we want to know what pleases him, then we have to conform our worldview and our life choices to what God has revealed. There is no way around this.

Obedience to God’s will (as it is contained in the Scripture) is the only way to please God. This is why I say that there is a sense of wonder in obedience. We keep wondering if God will be pleased with our obedience, and every time he is, we just keep wondering. Rather than staying skeptical, we should take God at his word. We should accept that obedience is pleasing to God and get on with living in obedience.

Lent 2018 | Day #11: Wonder

The reality is that the more we enjoy God’s presence the closer we will be. Our enjoyment of God points to the undeniable power of relationship.

As I have gotten older I find that my sense of wonder has dulled. It’s not that I do not find things that capture my imagination or fill me with a sense of wonder. What I mean is that it seems to take more to “impress” me.

I say this with a deep sadness. On one occasion, as Jesus was teaching, some children were making a fuss all around, and the adults became annoyed. They were not to pleased to have all the noise as they were trying to hear and learn the “deep” things of God. I imagine that as Jesus watched the scene unfold he was struck by how easily adults lose sight of what really matters.

The more we learn about God does not draw us closer to him. The reality is that the more we enjoy God’s presence the closer we will be. Our enjoyment of God points to the undeniable power of relationship. When visiting friends whose company we enjoy, the lateness of the hour does not matter. The “inconvenience” of their being in our home is not given a second thought. And time itself seems to fly and our time of fellowship is gone too fast, leaving us with the sense that it was not long enough.

When Jesus looked around at those gathered he corrected their understanding of the situation. It is not the well put together and intellectually astute who will win the heart of God. No, it is the one who comes like a little child that has the best chance of entering the kingdom of God.

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-4)

And in Matthew 19:14, Jesus says this, echoing the sentiment above.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Children find such joy in the simplest of things. And they are able to do the same activity again and again. They never seem to grow tired of the same thing.

Here is a great elaboration of this remarkable phenomenon from the incomparable G. K. Chesterton. I will let it speak for itself and serve as our concluding thought.

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” [Source]

What is “The Overview Effect?”

sunrise-over-earth I came across this video and was struck by the startling struggle that those who do not have a faith orientation have in trying to describe realities of life that are sublime and spiritual. When faith is not the ground of those realities that are non-material and yet undeniable real our language betrays us. Take the time to watch this and listen to the wonder, awe, splendor and mystery those interviewed attempt to explain and quantify. Without a faith perspective we do not have the proper framework to express those yearnings and realizations that are not because of the object observed, but because of our awakened understanding of the larger story we are participating in. This was a remarkable video, both in its beauty, but also in its ignorance.

This is my take and I am sure that many of those in the video would disagree with my assessment. Let me know if and where I’m wrong. I look forward to your thoughts!

I would recommend watching it “full screen.”