The Search for Wonder

As the year draws to a close, I ask God for a “word” for the coming year. In 2024 my word is “WONDER.” It is a quote by Brian Zahnd that defines what I mean by this,

“Beauty, Mystery, Wonder. They all three go together. The primary human response to an encounter with overwhelming beauty is wonder. Wonder is the transcendent sensation we experience when we find ourselves in the presence of an awe-inspiring sunset, an artistic masterpiece, or a newborn baby. Wonder is the unique human reaction to the sublime. . . . .We wonder at two things—the beautiful and the mysterious. A life stripped of beauty and mystery is a life barren of wonder, and a life without wonder is a kind of deep poverty.”

Beauty and mystery—the very core of who our Creator God is—that is what i’m seeking as a seek “wonder.” I’m asking God to open my eyes to his wonder all around me and to choose, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, to experience (not just know about) the depth of his wonder.

As I develop this experience of God’s wonder in my life, then my life will no longer be barren and or impoverished in my soul.

Lord, I seek your WONDER in my life today. Amen.