Christmas Words, Advent 2018
Receive is a Christmas Word – This concept is foundational for all the other Christmas words.
Joy is a Christmas Word
Peace is a Christmas Word

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Our GRAND-son Jack was three years old when his mother captured this moment as he stood in awe seeing his first real rainbow. This picture hangs on the wall above my desk reminding me of the gift God offers in wonder.

Children are naturals at wondering.

As a child of God sometimes it’s easy to lose the ability to wonder. I don’t want that to be true of me!

Zechariah, Mary, Elizabeth, the Shepherds, Simeon, even Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s neighbors give clues helping define wonder. Check out Luke 1 and 2.

Questions are important, really important to understand wonder.
“You learn more by living with the questions than knowing all the answers.”
Bill Tell, my hubby

When Gabriel visited Zechariah while he was serving in the Temple (Luke 1:8-18), Gabriel’s first words were “God has heard your prayer” referring to Zechariah’s desire for a son. I wonder, was this a prayer Zechariah prayed in his 20s, or 30s, or maybe even his 40s? Or as an old man, was he still asking God for a son? The scriptures don’t tell us.

Gabriel continued,
“You will have great joy.”
“he (the son) will be great in the eyes of the Lord.”
“He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth.”
And much more.

Zechariah did question Gabriel. But his question was not one of wonder, his question communicated doubt and asked for proof. Not the roadway to wonder.

Gabriel also visited Mary. (Luke 1:26-38) In his first words to her, he affirmed her. “The Lord is with you … you have found favor with God.” He went on to share …
“You will conceive … and bear a son.”
“He will be called the Son of the Most High.”
“And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.”
And much more.

Mary too had a question, but unlike Zechariah’s question, her question was one of wonder. “How will this be …?” Mary’s question did not ask for proof, she asked about the process. It was a question of wonder.

Synonyms for wonder abound in the Christmas narrative.

“Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood …” Luke 1:65 NLT
“Everyone who heard about it reflected … and asked …” Luke 1 66 NLT
“All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,” Luke 2:18
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 ESV
“But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” Luke 2:19 NLT
“All who heard him were amazed …” Luke 2:47 NLT and ESV (This is 12 years later referring to Jesus.)
“And his mother stored all these things in her heart.” Luke 2:51 NLT (treasured up, ESV)

Wonder is not asking for proof,
it is expecting God to be God
when we have no idea how that will happen.
Wonder makes me to ask, what might my assumptions cause me to miss?

Author John Blase suggests, “Truths unlived are not truths.” Wondering, pondering, reflecting allows up to live with questions, to live with truth and let it become ours.

I’ve found that wondering, reflecting, pondering lead to stability.

“and he will be the stability of your time,
abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;”
Isaiah 33:6

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A scripture to meditate on: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45

A question to ask: What has God spoken to you and asked you to believe (trust)?

A prayer to pray: God, please create in me a wondering, pondering heart who learns to trust and experience the stability only you offer. Amen