Novelty and Wonder
It
is amazing how fleeting novelty is. Something which can completely captivate
our minds one day may be found to have lost all allure by the next. It seems
frequency and normalcy erode our enjoyment of the things around us. I was
struck by this notion a few days ago when, walking home from the tram station,
I passed by this house with its enchanting tower. How fun would it be to live
in a house like this? Can you imagine having an office within the tower and
looking out the window at the French Alps?
For
you, who do not see this tower regularly, hopefully the novelty of such a house
is still intriguing. For me, the initial wonder has faded with time. As I
walked by this house with the tower, I realized that the wonderfulness of the
house has not changed; I have just become used to seeing it. But when I made
the conscious choice to notice the house, I found myself once again marveling
at how cool this old building is.
The
novelty of something is temporary, and essentially a passive response to
something new piqued my interest. In contrast, to marvel or be awed by
something without the aid of novelty, is an active choice. While regularity
tries to trade awe for normalcy, I can choose to maintain my wonder. The marvelous
nature of something is intrinsic to itself and is not affected by my thought or
perceptions. A sunset is beautiful, regardless of the presence of observers.
The
world that God has created around us is amazing. Not only that, but it is
incredible what God has done to save humanity from ourselves. We remember
Jesus’ death on the Cross and His triumphant resurrection, and we are humbled
by His work. Our God is good and He does wondrous things. We can sing of His
glory from now until eternity for all that He has done.
In
our human frailty, we can forget how awesome our God is. I remember as a child
in church getting bored with people always talking about the Cross or Jesus. My
childish response came from immaturity and lack of understanding. It is right
for me to be awed by my God. Perhaps the novelty of Christ’s work has worn off,
but my wonder only grows.
As
children of God, we are called to the discipline of wonder. Our God, His creation,
and His redemptive work are eternally awe inspiring, and cultivating our
awareness of this helps us clearly see them. We glorify God when we respond in
awe to His work just as any artist likes to see others enjoy his or her
creativity.
When
did you last marvel at God for who He is? How do you see His wondrous character
illustrated by the world around you?
