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Monday Meditation – The Value of Wonder

One of the most amazing things about Christmas is the wonder it creates. Every parent knows the joy of watching the eyes of children fill with excitement when they open their Christmas morning gifts. One of the most valuable aspects of the wonder Christmas creates is that it tunes the minds and hearts of children and adults alike to hear truth. The wonder of Christmas is a powerful ally to the ultimate truth about Christmas.

Yes, Jesus was born of a virgin. Yes, the events surrounding his birth were miraculous. Yes, Jesus’ birth fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. But Jesus’ birth anticipated far more than a magical night in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago. Jesus was born to live a perfect life, die a substitutionary death on a Roman cross, and be raised from the dead providing eternal life to all who would believe in him.

When was the last time you paused to wonder at the glory of God’s entrance into the world? Wonder is a spiritual reality that reminds us how small we really are and how grand and glorious God is. For example, it is a wonder that we even exist. Eric Metaxas put it this way in his book Miracles, 

As of now, fifteen years into the twenty-first century, we know of so many conditions that are absolutely necessary for a planet to support life that not only is it extremely improbable that any other planets can support life, it’s extremely improbable that our planet should support life. To speak statistically and logically, life of any kind should not exist and we shouldn’t be here (37).

Metaxas proceeded to argue that even the size of our planet is uniquely designed for life. Were earth just a little bigger, gravity would increase causing toxic gasses rather than oxygen to hug the planet making it impossible to breath. Were the earth a little smaller, gravity would decrease making it virtually impossible for water to exist on the planet’s surface causing earth to be inhospitable to life (37). The size of the earth is just one of nearly 150 variables necessary for life to exist on a planet. Makes you wonder?

When we consider that we even exist, we should wonder. When we think that the God who created all humbled himself to be born as a baby, we should wonder. When we realize that Jesus died so that we could know the Creator-God personally, we should WONDER. Wonder stimulates humility and humility is the spiritual necessity for walking with God.

So before your Christmas holiday is over, pause, and WONDER at the God who loves you with an uncontainable glorious love.

Metaxas, Eric. Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life.  Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Monday Meditation-Am I patient and faithful?

My family and I shared a wonderful experience at the Ark in Williamstown, KY. It is built to biblical specifications and it is massive! I loved seeing the wonder and amazement on my boys’ faces as we walked through and attempted to relive Noah’s experience. Imagine how loud, smelly, and challenging life on the ark was. Day after day, week after week, month after month, Noah and his family feeding, watering, and cleaning up after animals. It had to be difficult. 

It took Noah 120 years to build the ark. After looking at it today, I can understand why. Can you imagine a single assignment from God that took you 120 years to complete? 

In today’s culture of microwave meals and fast food dinners, we want everything immediately. I’m afraid we even want our discipleship to happen quickly. We become uncomfortable and impatient when things don’t happen quickly. Contrast our culture with Noah’s 120 years of obedience. God’s business with us is never rushed. Let me offer some recommendations from Noah’s example.

  1. God isn’t rushing our spiritual development, so we need to think about our spiritual lives as marathons and not sprints.
  2. God cares about us and the process of our growth, so we need to be faithful and obedient wherever he’s placed us. 
  3. God used a flood and an ark both to judge and protect, so we need to remember God can use anything as elements in our spiritual development. 
  4. God promised not to flood the world again and gave us a rainbow to affirm it, so we need to trust God’s promises and faithfulness as the basis for our Christian living.