From the Inside Out

Generations ago, an ancestor of pastor Fred Craddock suggested that Sunday afternoons be spent on nature walks to find and admire God’s handiwork. He called it, “going marveling (1).”

That phrase brought to mind the old Christmas carol, “Here We Come A-Wassailing.”  ‘Remember the first few lines?

Here we come a-wassailing

Among the leaves so green,

Here we come a-wand’ring

So fair to be seen.

If we’d accompanied Pastor Craddock’s forbearers on one of those woodland hikes, perhaps we would have sung:

Here we go a-marveling

Among the leaves so green,

All around creation charms;

Such fairness to be seen.

Indeed, our God of wonders provides fairness (as a synonym for splendor) in countless ways:

from the majestic…

…to the minute,

From the firm…

…to the fragile,

From the colorful…

…to the camouflaged.

“Wows come in all shapes and sizes.”

–Anne Lamott

But there are many more sources of jaw-dropping awe that deserve our attention.

We can go a-marveling at the wonder of us.

Consider these wows:

• Approximately sixty thousand miles of blood vessels course through the human body—enough to wrap the earth more than twice (2).

• Blood travels 12,000 miles per day through the vascular system.  That’s equivalent to the distance from coast to coast across the U.S.—four times (3).

• Human hemoglobin that makes our blood red is made up of extremely complex molecules. Each contains 9520 atoms of various elements, hooked together in a precise pattern (4).

Hemoglobin Molecule

Astounding, isn’t it?  And with King David we can certainly affirm:

We can go a-marveling through our memories. Perhaps you remember such delights as these: 

• Coming in from the cold to be warmed by thick, hot soup and familial love around the table

• Almost floating down the sidewalk on the first warm day of spring—with no coat or boots to weigh you down

• A board game with friends—complete with popcorn and laughter

Even such ordinary events as these inspire wonder, because they point to a God who orchestrates satisfying moments into all our days.

We can also go a-marveling through the memories of miracles.

No doubt you’ve experienced spectacular moments such as these:

• A new job provided just as the old one was terminated

• The cost of a new refrigerator covered by a surprise check in the mail

•  A baby born dangerously premature that not only survives but thrives

And while marveling at the miracles…

…We can go a-marveling at the wonder of prayer, which often precedes God’s astounding works.

First, our all-powerful God allows mere humans to come alongside him as he engineers events and accomplishes his good purposes.

Second, and even more marvelous, his Spirit comes alongside us as our partner in prayer, helping us pray as we should.

How wondrous is that?

Finally, we can go a-marveling through scripture.

The Bible was written by at least forty authors from different walks of life, over the span of 1500+ years, on three continents. No other book has come into existence out of such wide-reaching diversity. And yet the reader can’t help but notice the unity of its content.

Within the pages of scripture we find wisdom and inspiration for living, strength for difficulty, comfort for pain, and peace for unrest.

It’s true:  those who know their Bibles best, marvel at its truths the most. They notice “wonder after wonder, and every wonder true” (St. Brude).

And where might all this marveling lead?  To still more wonders:   stronger faith, deeper contentment, and greater joy.

*     *     *     *     *    *     *     *     *     *

Who is like you, O God—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, continually working wonders? Our lives are FULL of marvels, O God!  May we be lost in wonder, love, and praise, just like the old hymn writer proclaimed. 

(Exodus 15:11; “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” by Charles Wesley)

What are you marveling in today?  Tell us in the comment section below!

Notes:

1. Fred B. Craddock, Craddock Stories, ed. Mike Graves and Richard F. Ward, p. 65.
2. https://my.cleveleandclinic.org>health>articles>17059
3. https://iheartintelligence.com/35-incredible-facts-about-the-human-body-that-might-surprise-you/
4. John Phillips, Exploring John’s First Epistle, Kregel Publications, 2003, p. 36.

Art & photo credits:  http://www.pixabay.com (2); http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil; http://www.maxpixel.net; http://www.flickr.com (2); http://www.wikipedia.org; http://www.heartlight.org; http://www.maxpixel.net; http://www.usafe.af.mil; http://www.dailyverses.net; http://www.needpix.com.

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