Advent Week Two: Wonder
Read: Psalm 8, Luke 1:39-45
When was the last time you felt caught up in a sense of wonder? Perhaps, it was in nature as you watched the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean or as you gazed into an abnormally clear night sky and beheld the millions of stars in our galaxy. For me, it was when—after so much news of death and violence in our world—I held the newborn son of my dearest friends and felt a sense of hope for the future. Wonder is not spontaneous; it is sparked. Wonder is our natural reaction when what we anticipate pales in comparison to that which we experience.
In our readings for this week, we find the witness of two people who are driven to wonder by their experience of God’s nearness. The Psalmist reflects on the grandeur of God’s creation and cannot help but ask: “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” The scale of the universe suggests that we are insignificant, but our experience of God’s presence surprises us with the promise of God’s intimate care for us. Likewise, Elizabeth is overcome as the Holy Spirit alerts her to the presence of God in the womb of her cousin, Mary. Elizabeth is no stranger to mystery and miracles, yet the nearness of God in this moment is still enough to overwhelm her expectations and lead her into wonder.
These readings also remind us that wonder is the origin of worship. The Psalmist’s reflections aren’t confined to a personal prayer journal; they become a song of praise for all who seek to know God in the community. Elizabeth’s experience of wonder inspires Mary’s Magnificat, a prayer which has been repeated in Christian worship for over a thousand years.
This Advent season, let the spark for our sense of wonder be the promise of Emmanuel—God with us. On difficult days when we might otherwise wonder where God is, may the promise of God’s nearness surprise us, encourage us, and lead us into worship.
God, as we seek the way of Christ together, may we be surprised by how closely you walk with us on the path. Amen.
Colin Kroll, Associate Campus Minister