“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
I think we would all probably agree with that. To some beauty is a statuesque blonde or a man with chiseled abs. To some beauty is found in a morning sunrise or an evening sunset. To some beauty is found in a work of art or a classic car restored to its original condition. To some beauty is a black Trek Emonda ALR5 (not saying who that may be).
Albert Einstein once said, “The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. He who knows it not, can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle.”
If what Einstein wrote is true there are many snuffed-out candles. I think for the most part people have lost their sense of wonder. Things have often become so humdrum the routine and ordinary takes precedence. Sad.
Psalm 139 is one of the chapters in the Bible where the wonder and majesty of what the psalmist is describing is word-defying. My desire for this week’s message is to show the wonder of God and also the wonder of His creation-human and earth.
I, for one, don’t want to lose my sense of wonder. Hope you don’t either.
I can’t imagine anything worse than having someone look over my shoulder all day and all night. That sounds horrible.
Not sure where that came from unless you read Psalm 139. (Good for you!)
I’m with you, Bill. Each day is a gift and wonder, not to mention every breath. Praying that your message is used to awaken your people to see our Father’s glory and sovereignty and grace in everything and everyday.
Thanks for your prayers Floyd. I’m hoping the message woke people up as well.
Living with awe and wonder . . . I do believe this keeps us young and brings us closer to God.
Prayers for a marvelous sermon this Sunday, Bill.
Blessings!
Keeps us young? I’m going to bathe myself in awe and wonder. 🙂
I find life to be a GREAT adventure! Just looking out my sliding glass doors, I see wonders that never cease to amaze me–a mother bear and three cubs jostling for possession of our bird feeder, a six point buck in velvet, a weary mother squirrel resting on the arm of our lawn chair, hummingbirds feeding on the honeysuckle–the wonder never ends!
Quite a menagerie of animals in your neck of the woods Pam. Can honestly see how the wonder never ends for you.
This came via email and I received permission to include it:
So,
Just read your blog…really looking forward to Sunday!
But, what even struck me more was Jeff’s comment! Ironic how the very thing he thinks would be horrible i find the most comforting!! As a kid, it was that concept of God seeing EVERYTHING that I clung to as a little piece of hope for rescue from the terrors in our home – brought solace as I’d bury my head in my pillow and cry myself to sleep at night (couldn’t dare let anyone hear me cry!) – but somehow in the depths of my heart as a young girl when i read in the Psalms of how God sees EVERYTHING it would give a little calm and comfort to the terror and sense of total abandonment and aloneness…and, now, – now it’s also God’s constant presence as my “good, good Father” that will calm the anxiety,etc, time and time again…it’s a “welcome relief” to be reminded that God is ALWAYS right here with me!
Reread your blog after Jeff’s comment cause I didn’t recall you even mentioning that in your blog…just kind of blew me away by his comment…but, got me thinking, too! Lol – he meant it as a negative slam I’m sure, but it was actually a positive reassurance for me, all over again even as there was sadness that he even views something so good in such a negative way!!!! Wow!
I did read the Psalm and it is quite clear that there is a supernatural supervisor watching your every move. Probably even your every thought. Sounds absolutely horrible to me. It is not a slam just a statement of how I feel and what I believe. People that believe in such nonsense do not make me sad and I am sorry you turn sad for people who don’t believe such nonsense.
The psalm does go into detail about God’s character: qualities which are reassuring to those who follow Him. I know the writer’s story and it is one where she needed someone bigger who was able to hear her cries and get her out of the morass she found herself in. Her sadness comes from knowing how much it meant to her to know God and to know you make light of Him and the need people have for Him.
I don’t make light of the need people have for religion or the supernatural. I think people do get something from that. But for sure I find it total nonsense to think such things could even possibly be true. If anything I should probably feel sad for those that need that sort of thing to deal with reality. But for some reason I don’t care if someone wants to believe that sort of thing. I am just glad it is not true. I think it sounds horrible.
Wonder is a very awesome thing … which seems to be lacking just a bit in our jaded culture …
Preach it, Bill!
Agreed Linda. jaded is a good word to use.