Astonishment

Gospel Mark 7:31-37

If your whole world is completely changed and opened up to you, do you think you could stop yourself from telling everyone about it?
     How does Jesus think that the deaf man will be able to stop himself from proclaiming the good work that Jesus has done in him?

"If we have not...the simple spirit of admiration, our Christianity is not a genuine Christianity, no matter how ascetic the life we lead."

Our admiration for the good works Jesus does in us is nothing more than wonder at Jesus and ultimately humility in knowing who He is and who we are in relation to Him.
     Jesus told us to be as little children - and children have the wonderful quality to gasp in astonishment at the littlest of miracles in their lives.

My children and I were watching "Tangled" the other day, and it hit me that the movie has a religious song in it: "I See the Light". The look of wonder on Rapunzel's face is the kind of wonder I'm talking about. I present the video and the lyrics for your consideration here:



After watching, just close your eyes and listen to the song, or just read the lyrics and imagine that it is a person seeing Christ for the first time:

All those days watching from the windows

All those years outside looking in 

All that time never even knowing 

Just how blind I've been 

Now I'm here, blinking in starlight 

Now I'm here, suddenly I see 

Standing here, it's all so clear 

I'm where I'm meant to be 

And at last I see the light 

And it's like the fog has lifted 

And at last I see the light

And it's like the sky is new 

And it's warm and real and bright 

And the world has somehow shifted 

All at once everything looks different 

Now that I see you 

All those days chasing down a daydream 

All those years living in a blur 

All that time never truly seeing 

Things, the way they were 

Now she's here shining in the starlight 

Now she's here, suddenly I know

If she's here it's crystal clear 

I'm where I'm meant to go 

And at last I see the light 

And it's like the fog is lifted 

And at last I see the light 

And it's like the sky is new 

And it's warm and real and bright

And the world has somehow shifted

All at once, everything is different 

Now that I see you, now that I see you

Ultimately, we find our true happiness, our true fulfillment in Christ. He makes all things new, and when we look through Him to the world, we see all things new. May we always wonder in astonishment at what He does in us and through us. 


Speaking of astonishing things:

True love is accepting another person as they are, warts and all. It's not so much about what they say or do, but more about embracing something a lot deeper: the unique, unrepeatable soul that God has made and called not just good, but very good.

He calls us very good. And He loves us with more depth and strength than we could ever love any human being.

Susan writes on the astonishing work of motherhood:
We are mothers, and we will never be the same as we were before motherhood. Every day is an adventure and a blessing to be treasured.


Beautiful, go read it all!