Tuesday, November 12
Stop and wonder
Scripture: Job 37-38, 1 Corinthians 12
Job 37:14 Stand and consider the wonders of God.
Observation
Elihu, Job’s young friend and “counselor” advises him to “consider the wonders of God.” Then he names a few natural wonders and describes the greatness of God.
Finally, God shows up and answers Job—and the answer is a series of questions essentially about the wonders of God.
Application
I’ve been thinking and reading lately about wonder. Children have a great sense of wonder, and adults retain flashes of it, but as we age, we often lose much of our wonder. Elihu’s advice is applicable to me: I would benefit if I would “stand and consider the wonders of God.”
I have “wow moments” with creation: a beautiful sunset, a cloudless day, a walk on the beach, the moose in my field, watching a hawk soar. Maybe if I changed the word “stand” to “stop” I’d see more. Stop and consider. Slow down. Look. Enjoy. Wonder. How much we miss in our hurry.
And there is more to wonder at than creation! The work of God in our lives and the character of God Himself. He is a wonder! Stop and consider the work of God, what He has done and is doing; stop and consider who He is…and wonder.
Today, I’m going to stop and consider the wonders of God. Have more “wow moments.”
Prayer: Lord, help me to slow down, to stop, to observe, to wonder…and to worship.
I met Jesus through the Jesus Movement in the early 1970’s at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California shortly after serving in the US Marines from 1962-1965. Imagine this: a high-and-tight red neck amongst all the long haired hippies. But they loved me anyway and I had no objection or argument with real love! One of those hippies and his band came to Pastor Chuck Smith and asked him if they could share some songs the Lord was giving them. Even though they had just been saved, the love they displayed was so contagious and transforming even Chuck Smith could not but agree after they shared their music with him, even he said they had to pure anointing of the Spirit. One of their songs, “Slow Down,” was transforming and meaningful so much that to this very day and moment I am reminded by just listening to Chuck Girard singing it is God telling us to “Slow Down” for there is so much good to be gained when we just put the rush on hold and receive the blessings God wants us to hear from Him. Take a listen to this song and see if it might affect-effect you like it still does to several of us almost 50-years after Girard introduced it to us in the early 1970’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wu4Ux6WpFg&list=RD8Wu4Ux6WpFg&start_radio=1&t=3