The sky was ablaze with a spray of orange and gold, like heaven itself was breaking through to earth.
The air was thick and still, filled with the wet-blanket silence of a humid Florida evening; that special kind of silence that settles when a rainstorm is just gearing up to go all out.
And there was the two-year old, taking it all in with wonder.
He hadn’t learned yet to be concerned that usually the bigger and more beautiful the sunset, the greater the coming thunderstorm.
He hadn’t learned yet to be annoyed and distracted by the mosquitoes scoping out his soft, sock-free ankles for an evening snack.
He hadn’t learned yet to be worried about property damage from the storm, to be bothered by the stifling humidity, to be anxious about finishing his responsibilities before the day is through.
He simply got to enjoy the show.
When was the last time you were stopped still in your tracks by something beautiful?
When was the last time you let yourself set aside your concerns about something and simply enjoy the experience? When was the last time you let your guard down and really trusted something or something to actually be as wonderful as you hoped?
When was the last time you embraced wonder?
I’m sure you have good reasons to be cynical; we all do. I’m sure you have plenty of stories of how things and people have failed you in the past; we all do. I’m sure you have painful memories of times when you were underwhelmed by unmet expectations or overwhelmed by the riptides of life; we all do.
But don’t let go of wonder.
You were created in the image of a creative God. You were given a spirit and a soul and a body that were made for far deeper things that just paying your bills and trying to get places on time. You were made to matter, and to let beautiful moments matter to you.
So, the next time you take a bite of a favorite food or hear the first notes of a favorite song, don’t let them pass by without noticing. The next time you get to see a sunrise or sunset or take a walk in the cool of the day, don’t let those moments slip away without savoring.
Stop.
Taste.
Listen.
Feel.
Breathe in the beauty of the moment, and breathe out your troubles for just a moment more. Let those moments remind you of the presence and the goodness of a God who is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20) Every chance you get, take the time and have the faith to drink deep from the cup of life with the open mind and thirsty heart of a child.
Don’t let go of wonder.
-Pastor Phillip
