It was a dark and stormy night — seriously — years ago. Wind howled, rain drummed hard, branches scraped the roof, and little Danny woke up crying.
My husband was going to have to go to work early. How to get my toddler back to sleep?
In a flash of inspiration, I crept down the stairs and plugged in the colored lights on our Christmas tree, freshly decorated after Danny had been put to bed.
Then I carried my fussing, squirming boy down to the living room. When he caught sight of that tree, an amazing thing happened:
Fear vanished. Wonder took its place.
Eyes wide, jaw dropped open, Danny stared, scarcely breathing, as we approached the tree. The lovely brightness of the tree glowing in the darkness caused anxiety to evaporate.
Outside, furious wind and rain still lashed the house. Danny didn’t even notice.
He was too captivated by wonder to worry about the storm.
This is what we often overlook as adults.
Wonder. A sense of astonishment, enchantment, fascination. Something that makes you gasp with surprise and delight.
While difficulties and challenges swirl around us, wonder holds its breath in anticipation, peeks at us around corners, hides a smile behind a cupped hand as it waits for our moment of discovery … but it doesn’t force itself on us.
We can rush right past it on the frenzied freeway to accomplishment or the harried highway of anxiety.
Yet wonder is the antidote to the dark, threatening storms of life. It’s the ultimate distraction from difficulty, a wellspring of comfort and joy.
Where to Find Wonder
This dark-yet-bright season is the perfect time of year to recapture our sense of wonder — especially our awe of the One who is himself described as “Wonder-ful.”
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6
Christmas is sparkly and full of good cheer — but ultimately, Jesus is the One who leaves us breathless, speechless, stricken with sheer joy. Jesus is the source of all hope and beauty.
This whole universe was created by him, through him, and for him (Colossians 1:15,16).
As I reflect on some of his gifts to me, I am awestruck by wonder all over again: snowy mountain peaks all rosy at sunset; an eagle soaring overhead; Northern lights shimmering.
The silky feel of my granddaughter’s skin.
What kinds of moments have caused you to gasp with awe and want to freeze-frame the picture?
Maybe it’s when you peeked over the rim of the Grand Canyon, or you first held your newborn, or you saw the Milky Way splayed across a summer sky, or pulled a beautiful steelhead from the water.
Holy moments. Wonder-ful moments.
What to do With Wonder
Remember the shepherds to whom the angel announced Jesus’ birth (Luke 2)? They hurried to go see what God had told them about. They made known to others the wonder they had witnessed. And they glorified and praised God for it.
I’m going to adopt this as my plan when God reveals a “wonder” in my life:
Pay attention to it instead of rushing by.
Tell others about it instead of keeping it to myself.
Give God glory for it instead of forgetting the Gift-giver.
Will you join me?
Let’s be so captivated by our Jesus that we forget all about the storm.
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