As the first beams of sunlight appeared through my window, I knew the moment had arrived. I went over to where my brother was sleeping and attempted to wake him up. His immediate grogginess soon turned to uncontrollable excitement. It was time to see if there were any presents underneath our Christmas tree.
The year was 1987.
After our commotion woke up Mom and Dad, we all gathered together in the living room and began opening presents. The first box that was handed to me was quite large. I ripped off the bow first and then attempted to get the wrapping paper off as fast as I could. My hard work paid off a few seconds later as I looked at the gift—a CD player. Sure, it was part of a radio that also played cassette tapes, but I didn’t care about that. It was the main thing I wanted, and now it was in my hands.
By the end of the morning, I had received two compact discs—one featuring the B52’s and the other from a band called R.E.M. I learned how to place the disc correctly in the machine, then sat back, amazed, as pure, distortion-free sound came out of those speakers. No snaps, crackles, pops, or anything.
I was in wonder.
Fast forward to today. Compact discs are still in use, and most homes have one, if not multiple, CD players. But for me, I have not been able to recapture the sense of wonder I experienced that Christmas morning. I don’t really care about the laser used to read the music. I don’t care about the ability of the player to avoid skipping. Instead, I expect that when I play a CD, I will hear clean sound and will be able to focus on the nuances of the music.
Can the ordinary still provide astonishment and amazement long after the “honeymoon” period has worn off? Absolutely! Of course, this involves a willingness on our part for that to occur.
When a person comes to know Christ as their forgiver and leader, there is a beginning period of excitement and expectation. Suddenly, the world is seen in a different way. What was once “Ho-hum” becomes “Wow!” or “Whoa!” when God is in the picture. Such wonderful insights and knowledge have to be shared with others.
The initial period of wonder and awe is eventually confronted by the realities of daily life. There are bills to pay, appointments to keep, laundry to wash. Circumstances in life turn out to be unfavorable for us. Life speeds up and threatens to leave us at the bus stop. In these moments, sometimes God ceases to be “amazing” for us and is simply there. We find a box and place him inside of it. The wonder of the creator is nowhere to be found. It can happen to the newest follower as easily as it can happen to the person who’s considered the church their second home.
How can we restore the wonder of God to our lives? For each person, this will differ, but here are some things to consider:
- Slowing down to spend time with the Lord is a great first step. As James put it, “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8 [NIV]).
- Reading the stories found in the Bible offer fascinating glimpses of his power, majesty, and concern. Besides accounts of the parting of the Red Sea, there are miracles such as the widow’s oil (see 2 Kings 4:1-7), characters such as Balaam, and triumphs in battle such as Gideon’s (see Judges 7).
- Viewing one of Jesus’ miracles from the perspective of the recipient(s) (ex. a family who was a part of the feeding of the 5000 in Matthew 14) can bring new insight and admiration for the Lord.
- Asking God for a renewed sense of wonder is important. He wants us to come to him with all our dreams, thoughts, fears, and plans (see Matthew 11:28-29). Come to think of it, that’s pretty amazing in itself: the creator wants to hear from his creation, despite their obvious missteps and shortcomings!
- Experiencing God in nature is something I find to be very helpful. Sometimes all it takes is a walk in the woods. Or attempting to count the stars. Or watching the ocean crash along the shore. Even watching a spider spin a web can instill a sense of wonder. In wisdom the Lord made everything, and everything is designed to bring praise back to him (see Psalm 104).
- Remembering how good the Lord has been to you (and others) is critical. Have you seen how he’s helped you in the past? What about when you came to know Jesus? Can you remember the location, the situation, what it all meant to you?
So has God become “ordinary” to you these days? If so, I pray that you would allow him to help you remember the wonder again. And as he refreshes you, may you, in turn, refresh others.
—Donald Miller 1
“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”
—Psalm 40:5 (NIV)
1 Miller, Donald. Blue Like Jazz. Thomas Nelson, Nashville TN, 2003: 206.
All material copyright 2006 J. Alan Sharrer. No part of this email may be reproduced—other than the forwarding of the original, unaltered email message—without express written permission.
