What words describe your mood today? Grouchy? Cranky?
Time to pause and change your mood!
Utterly exhausted from keeping my grandchildren for a week, I pulled out of my middle daughter’s driveway at 6:20 a.m. to make the thirty-minute drive to their school. It was pitch dark. Needless to say, no one in the car was in a happy frame of mind at that time of morning … until Aubrey, my granddaughter, let out an audible gasp and declared, “Nonna, look up! Look at those beautiful stars!”
Although I was driving, I could see the stars shining brilliantly in the morning sky. During that moment, we all refocused our minds on the wonder of God’s magnificent creation. We began to worship the Creator of those stars. By the time we arrived at school, all of us were singing our favorite praise songs at the top of our lungs.
What changed us from crankiness to joy? Wonder! The Google definition of wonder is “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar or inexplicable.”
Wonder is used numerous times in the psalms to point toward God’s works and creation. One of the purposes of wonder is to move our eyes off of ourselves, off of our circumstances, and onto the magnificent power of God. When we do so, we remember who our God is and what He is capable of doing.
My problem is, I usually do not pause long enough to open my eyes to see what is wonderful around me. Aubrey did pause that morning to look up and look beyond herself. Will you choose to pause and look up, beyond yourself? Your Father is just waiting to encourage you!
Living in Revival, Vitality, and Mission
- What are you facing today? Whatever it is, take a moment to pause and look around you. What do you see? The stars, the trees, a river, flowers? Choose to wonder.
- You might see God’s most beautiful creation and stand in awe: a person. In Psalm 139:4 He tells us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Stand in admiration of how God created each of us uniquely. We are His wonders as much as are the stars in the heavens!
- Ask the Lord to reveal someone to you today who could use a bit of wonder in their life. Share with them Psalm 139:4.