Never Lose the Wonder

How to begin? Sometimes beginning is a hard thing, trying to find the right words or the right thing to do. It is often a matter of much thought, how do we begin, taking a first step into something. There is an excitement at the beginning of a new venture that stirs the mind and the soul. Over time, we can find a once exciting venture to become an exercise in monotony. What happened, what changed, why do we become so disillusioned by the familiar?

Pleasures lose some of their splendor the more we partake of them, extraordinary sights become normative as we get used to seeming them often, and even the more incredible inventions become ordinary over time. I can remember a time at church in Seattle, WA when the power had gone out on a Sunday morning, and thinking how special our time of worship was as our sound system laid lifelessly dormant. The voices and acoustic instruments resonated through the room with a veracity that I had seldom noticed. What was going on?

The technological innovations that allow us to enjoy professional sounds and mastered musical tracks are quite enjoyable and I wouldn’t say that I would prefer to not have a sound system, only that the moment reminded us of the simplicity and enjoyment that came with not having power. We could still sing songs, we could still hit the notes, we could even still have instruments; we just didn’t have our normal equipment, and that made it special.

It is quite a human thing, especially as we age, to take for granted all of the things that we have and to not appreciate things that once caused us to be in wonder and awe. How wonderful miraculous is it that humans, not gifted with wings for flight, are able to soar above the earthy every single day. Many thousands of people each day take to the skies to traverse our world at speeds not even dreamed of over a century ago, yet it is a normal fixture in our time. How upset we get when there is a disruption or delay, and yet, the even the wonder of flight can get lost on us over time as it becomes familiar and normal.

There is an event that took place in history, that rings with grief, splendor, pain, glory, and an excruciating love that I can hardly comprehend. The passion of the cross of Christ and His march through Jerusalem in His final days walking the earthy as a man; how can we even quantify the awesome wonder of the cross? How sad is it then, that so many come to Christ and look upon the cross knowing all He has done and yet wane over time.

Luke 18:8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Humanity is an interesting thing to think about it, isn’t it? We are here on a planet, in the midst of an infinitely enormous universe, yet the minutia of life seems to matter, the small details that we care about, that others care about; but why? Of all the sentient beings on this planet of ours, we are constrained by thoughts of existence and eternity. Scripture teaches us that God has written eternity on the hearts of man.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end."

Amazing a thing it is, that we can care so much for things that are of little significance. The most important event in all of human history, an event that granted us freedom and salvation from the malady that affects all mankind, yet, we can come to take it for granted if we are not careful. I think this is one of the reasons communion is so important, it reminds us of the broken body of Christ and the spilled blood that gave us a new covenant we could never earn.

It is such an exciting thing to begin, but it is an immensely important thing to finish. This is something that it is fairly easy to see when we think of a race. Maintaining stamina and energy to complete the race is so important. What good is it if you start very strong but don’t have the energy to finish the race. Moreover, why engage in a race if you aren’t trying to win? The apostle Paul encourages us in 1 Corinthians 9, to run the race with endurance in such a way to obtain the imperishable prize that we eagerly await.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

Don’t give up the fight, power through with endurance to finish the race well and receive a victors reward. Pressing onward, we should always remember how precious and costly the blood of Christ was and is, it cost Him everything, and He paid that price for each individual person on earth, all mankind. Let us never forget how much He gave so that we might be reconciled to Him. Keep going, and don’t let anything take your eyes off the prize.

1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”