Wonder We’re Meant to Know

People in my hometown caught a rare sighting of the Northern Lights last week around 3 am.  Some talked about trying to see for themselves. But why lose sleep and be cold? We could all see photos and time-lapse videos the next day. It was enough wonder for most of us.

We’re meant to have moments of wonder.  They surprise us in the wake of an infant’s yawn, a morning sea breeze, a sunray through storm clouds, a rising ember from a flame, or the coo of a common dove. Their power takes our breath away without warning.

When unexpected awe overflows into admiration, we remember our size in relation to all things created. More importantly, we remember our size in relation to our Creator.

Wonder from the common

Wonder is woven into the way God made the world. He packed value into things we consider small and common.

• He collects a single tear in a bottle. (Psalm 56:8)
• He notices the fall of a sparrow from a nest. (Matthew 10:29-30)
• He responds to a single lost sheep. (Matthew 18:12-14)
• He adorns a lily growing unnoticed in a meadow. (Matthew 6:28-30)
• He knits an unseen child together inside a womb. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Reading about what captures God’s attention paints a picture of a Creator relating with admiration for the lives lived out of His breath and being. If God so admires small moments, what wonder awaits us when we lean in to know Him. It infuses life with deep peace in relating to this God who is and does what is wonder-full.

Ultimately, things that make us wonder point us to God, who is worthy of our greatest admiration.

We may start simply by leaving the phone behind when you go on a walk, closing the laptop in the other room, or keeping your pictures private instead of fodder every time for a social post. Moving toward a life of seeing the wonders of God may begin with stepping away from some of the second-hand versions now available on our favorite streaming services or app. I want to be one step closer to experiencing the wonder.

25 things that made me wonder this week

1. The way the aspen leaves fluttered in the wind
2. How my cat curled up beside me and purred so loud
3. Bright moonlight from only half a moon, streaming through the window
4. The humility of a woman to asks for my forgiveness
5. The kindness of Jeff when I asked forgiveness
6.  Big waves of contentment from little things like my pottery mug
7. A covey of quail running in the same direction through the sage bushes
8. Fresh snow on the mountain tops miles away but looking close enough to touch
9. Vibrant colors of yellow and red in my grocery store mum
10. A praying friend texting to tell me she’s praying
11. Women exchanging expressions of encouragement to each other
12. A group of six women meeting for the first time, connected by Jesus
13. Red treetops lining city streets, glowing below our airplane
14. Clouds catching evening light in the next time zone over
15. An uninhibited child calling out to chat with me in an airport
16. Friend hosting a gathering of more friends … for us
17. Women praying for people they’ve never met in person, but care for
18. The smile on my child’s face after a season of pain
19. My new neighbor – who wants to be neighborly
20. The tart taste of apples, both sweet and sour—how can that be?
21. Eye wrinkles from years of life lived to the fullest.
22. Elderly eyes recalling God’s provision from childhood to old age.
23. Grandchildren looking like their parents looking like their parents.
24. Hands holding hands around food shared from open, generous hearts.
25. People freshly missed loved ones, but finding peace in heaven’s wonder.

What makes you wonder?

Our heavenly Father wants us to notice the work of His hands. When we see glimpses of goodness, we glimpse Him.

What a wonder.