Our Wonder

Most of us, if not all, can fondly remember the Christmases when we were young children: lighthearted days as we were held captivated by the pure wonder and joy of the merriest season. Our shoulders were more than likely free of the heaviness we now feel. In one way or another, we all have experienced the weight that growing up tosses onto us, and sometimes we are tempted to feel as though our childlike wonder has been blown away like a helpless leaf caught in the breeze. Yet, even as we mature, we can still choose to maintain a perspective of wonder and joy all the days of our lives simply because of Jesus. When we think about all that He has done, all that He is, and all that He personally means to us, our souls cannot help but be filled with wonder, overflowing with praise as we are swept off our feets in utter awe. 

Matthew 2:11 (NKJV) gives us this picture, “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.” At the very sight of Jesus, the Magi fell down in worship, caught up in the Savior that was before them. Nothing else mattered in that moment. They were beholding the God of the universe who came down into the darkness as fully God and fully man with a mission to save the very world that rejected Him and gave Him every reason to abandon it. We too are in much need of moments like these, when we gaze upon our Savior and reflect on not only all the Lord has done for us, but all that He is. Even just focusing on His names—the Great I Am (Exodus 3:14), Jehovah Rapha (our Healer; Exodus 15:26), Jehovah Jireh (our Provider; Genesis 22:14), Jehovah Nissi (our Banner and Victory; Exodus 17:15), Abba (our Heavenly Father; Romans 8:15), our Refuge (Psalm 46:1), Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11), and many more all throughout Scripture—is more than enough to place us in awe, igniting hope and shifting our perspective as we are purely mesmerized by our God. Isn’t He still faithful, even when we are faithless? Doesn’t He still keep His promises, working miracles, diving into our messes to be with us in the midst of everything? Didn’t He willingly lay down His life so that we could have life evermore? The gospel itself is absolutely mind blowing. The one true living God loves us so much that while we were still steeped in sin, He chose to save us and pour His blood out to cleanse us and offer us new life… We cannot let this be just another story we have heard a million times and take for granted, but we should keep it forefront in our lives, a continual reminder that does not, and cannot ever, lose its significance. 

Wonder can seem harder and harder to find these days. We are all feeling the weight of life in one way or another, and, at times, it can be difficult to even lift our heads. But we must lift our eyes to the Light of the world, who is the only One who can sustain us, heal us, save us, and much more. We cannot let the pain of what has happened or what we are walking through strip our wonder away. We cannot allow our circumstances to determine our joy or lack thereof. We cannot let the enemy steal our hope. 

Because Jesus is worthy of it and because it is for our own good, we need to intentionally make time for wonder—to pause from the craziness of life and focus entirely on the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). We need quiet moments to breathe in and out, and soak in His presence—something we can and should continue far into the new year, for wonder is not a one time event, nor just for Christmastime. It’s not a routine either, but something we have the great privilege of doing—taking the time to meet with Emmanuel, the Lord who is with us in every moment, every second, every breath we take. We need Him. He longs for us to spend time with Him because He cares so much about the ones He created in His perfect image. 

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