Day 6
Child-Like Wonder
Read your Bible: Psalm 8
Spotlight Verse:
But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.Psalm 131:2 NIV1984
Yes, God will blow your mind. Yet He communicates in ways even a child, or a childlike adult, can understand.
The infinite speaks even to infants.
I love the book Children’s Letters to God, a collection of real notes written by kids in various Sunday School classes.14 The sense of worship these letters often express proves to me that getting God-soaked meets a basic human desire:
Dear God: I didn’t think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool. Love, Eugene.
Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying!
Dear God: I don’t ever feel alone since I found out about you.
Have you noticed how often kids think about God, and ask great questions? They’re amateur theologians.
But as they get older kids often stop the God-talk. Why?
I think people slowly grow to believe that a study of God is only for the super-smart specialists. So they defer all their God thoughts to the experts. And they grow thirsty.
Maybe, if you’re honest, you even feel a little under-qualified to think theologically in this study, just because you don’t know all the Christian vocabulary.
The Wisdom of Wonder
I would love for you to meet Sarah Kritikos.
In her early 20s, Sarah’s an enthusiastic regular attender at our church’s class for adults with special needs, Joyful Noise. And she is so full of the joy of life.
But Sarah’s had a lot of challenges. She was born with numerous life-threatening health problems as well as several physical and developmental difficulties.
Sarah has been in and out of hospitals at least 30 times over the years. She stands somewhere near four feet tall and is not much bigger around than one of my legs. One of her arms is half the normal length and is missing a thumb.
I might be tempted to give up if I had those kinds of challenges. But Sarah knows something about the attributes of God. Because, even if she doesn’t call them by their theological names, she thinks about them. A lot.
I saw Sarah at a Christian camp recently. Some men were up for the day doing volunteer construction work and Sarah bounded right into the middle of their break and chatted with them. Then later in the week I got this email from one of those guys:
Hi, my name is Ron. I met Sarah only for a moment but her impact was like a thunder clap.
There was a short break before dinner. We sat down on the deck to rest — and Sarah walked by and said, “Can I ask you guys a question?”
“Sure,” we replied.
She asked, “What do you think is the most beautiful part of God?”
We each answered.
“Can I ask you another question?” Sarah said with enthusiasm. “When you have troubles, who do you turn to?”
We were stunned that this tiny woman with a strange delivery but beautiful smile could ask us questions that would make us grown men weep. God used her voice and He spoke directly to me. Through my experience with Sarah, I had a conversation with God. This was my first experience like this. Sarah truly is an instrument of God. Thank you, Sarah!
I think I know the reason Sarah’s been able to navigate all the crazy rapids in her young life. She really loves God — and loves to think about the One she loves.
Sarah is not what many would call sophisticated or clever. But she is full of wonder. And I’ll take that over sophisticated or clever any day.
As you continue this study of God’s attributes, don’t be intimidated by it. And don’t keep it academic. Think about the difference it makes at every turn, like Sarah does.
God is so loving that He reveals Himself with gentleness and patience despite anyone’s apparent weaknesses. In His self-revelation to you, God is not limited by any of your limitations. Isn’t that an awesome thought?
But you must have a willingness to wonder. Like Sarah.
Ask yourself her wise question:
“What do you think is the most beautiful part of God?”
God is… eager for you to know Him!
Questions For Reflection
What do you think is the most beautiful part of God?
