Amazing Love

by DanWolgemuth on September 12, 2008

For the past four weeks our granddaughter has lived with us. Our son and daughter-in-law are moving to Denver which has been the catalyst for this adventure in our lives.

Malia, who is nine months old today, absorbs every and all experiences in her life with wonder and awe. From the Cheerios on her tray, the pictures in the books we read to her, the neighbor dog, the five-year-old that lives next door, the flexible and entertaining door stops that litter our home, the antique copper tub that suffices as a noise maker, the feeling of grass on her feet, the taste of baked squash, the re-entry of her mother or father into a room where she is, yes, Malia’s world is full of amazement.

As I read the record of the life of Jesus in the Gospels, I am struck by how frequently Jesus amazes or astonishes His followers and the crowds that accompanied them. His actions, His insights, His compassion served as a platform from which people marveled.

My present living example and the historic record of Jesus draw me to a place where I am forced to take inventory of my own experiences and encounters. Predictable, ordered, scripted and planned are the more accurate reflections of my calendar. I have little time or opportunity to be amazed or astonished. And the casualty of such living is that I miss the delight, the wonder, the power and the joy of unconstrained awe.

There is no escaping this wonder when my life is intertwined with Jesus. If my steps mirror His, then the word “WOW” becomes a natural part of my vernacular. “Safe distances” provide a buffer zone from amazement, and I miss the delight and the joy of our astounding Christ.

And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” ~ Matthew 8:27

And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” ~ Matthew 12:23

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching. ~ Matthew 7:28

Our Lord is capable of bringing this kind of amazement into our lives, every day. To experience less is a tragic mistake that even nine-month-old babies don’t miss.

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