Called To Be Wonder-Full

Photo by Josh Hild

Some things are unaccountable. Things like the expanse of stars on a clear night, the way a beautifully written phrase touches your soul and makes you cry, or watching your body slowly heal itself after a wound.

Sure, you could memorize a constellation, diagram the sentence, or explain how a cell works. But still there is some unexplainable aspect that you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s personal. It’s deeper than what you first see on the surface. It feels like old magic written before the dawn of time.

You can’t explain it… not how it works nor why it moves you the way it does. It’s okay that you don’t know everything. Instead of trying to pin it down and dissect it, you embrace the mystery. You wonder.

The Scriptures are full of examples of people experiencing wonder at God’s works or deeds. All over the Psalms, David’s thoughts overflow into doxologies. “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (Psalm 104:24)

Isaiah marvels at the stars in chapter 40 verse 26: “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.”

As delightful as God’s providence or creation is, however, we can lift our contemplative gaze still higher. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). God’s works lead us to wonder at God Himself, at His very being. 

The telos (or ultimate end) of wonder is to point us to God. It is more than just amazement or gratitude, though it will lead to that. God reveals himself in part through natural revelation, so let His creation and providence show you His wonderfulness. He is ineffable, too great to be expressed in words, and infinite, too great to be understood by reason.

Linger for a moment on this thought. Consider God, living in the eternal present, all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving. Consider His plan which has been at work since He started time. Consider His face, watching from on high. Consider the moment you will see Him face to face for the first time. 

It can be hard for us to dwell on this idea for extended periods of time, because we tend to talk about wonder like it is a fleeting emotion. We talk as if it is something we experience; the feeling just comes upon us. We feel wonder because something else “wonderful” is provoking the feeling. On the few occasions when we talk about it as though we are active in it, using it as a verb (“to wonder”),  we mean something like curiosity. I wonder if…I wonder how…

Embracing a mystery, however, is neither passive, fleeting, nor is it merely curiosity. As Christians, we should pursue wonder and cultivate it in our lives. It can be something we practice, rather than just experience. Much like peace, hope, or many other virtues, it is both an action and an emotion.

You have to go looking for things you don’t understand. You have to sit in the discomfort and lack of control that brings. You have to realize to Whom the wonderful thing points. You have to be grateful for it. And you have to worship the God who is the source of wonder itself and all things wonderful. Wonder takes humility. 

There are many things in the universe that we will never comprehend. To wonder means to accept our finiteness and our fallenness, and let God’s mysteries be mysteries. As Paul says, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! [...] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33, 36).

You were never meant to know everything. You were meant to run to the Loving One who does. Wonder brings worship, humility, and rest. 

Since wonder takes action, how do you pursue wonder and embrace the mystery? Start by searching Scripture for it. As you read, pay attention to people’s responses to God and what He does. Find the things you can’t explain, meditate on them, and praise the Lord for them.

Look in creation around you for even more to wonder at. The wind, the mountains, ants… you can’t go wrong. The best part is, it’s fun. You can practice wonder anywhere over anything.

Look at the way providence works in your life. Where has His grace led and protected you?

Develop a sense of curiosity. Research science questions you have, ponder deep theological ideas, soak in the warmth of well written literature. 

Rightly ordered wonder will always point towards God. As creatures made to worship God, you might say that we are called to be wonder-full.