wonder in the waiting

By Debbie Ramamoorthy (WITHIN Devotional Contributor) 
 
Recently, I've noticed the word "Wonder" come up a few times in various different readings, conversations and devotionals. I am someone who is inquisitive and curious. I have always had a love for learning, growing and exposing myself to new ideas. So, the word "wonder" kept kindling something within me. I wanted to understand how to tie wonder with my inquisitive nature. That, combined with other circumstances, seemed to be a fascinating concept.
 
For many of us who have endured seasons of waiting, we may have responded with a sense of urgency, irritation, restlessness, frustration, anger, isolation, excitement, anticipation, hope, joy- and every emotion in-between! I certainly have experienced the myriad of emotion in my response to seasons of waiting. So, when I wanted to dive deep into the idea of wonder, I decided to understand it in the context of waiting. 
 
As we enter into the month of awaiting our Savior's birth- I keep reflecting on the season of waiting in joyful, nervous anticipation for a baby's birth. I imagine the excitement that prevails and the wonder in which one would immerse themselves in, imagining who the baby will grow up to be.
 
In relation to the concept of wonder, I read this quote by Eugene Peterson: 
 
“It is not easy to convey a sense of wonder, let alone resurrection wonder, to another. It’s the very nature of wonder to catch us off guard, to circumvent expectations and assumptions. Wonder can’t be packaged, and it can’t be worked up. It requires some sense of being there and some sense of engagement."

The idea of wonder is to take the inquisitive nature within ourselves, to immerse ourselves in it and then to behold whatever direction it takes you in. What I concluded is that we should really immerse ourselves in the reality of what these days leading up to Jesus' birth mean for us and to us. And then to simply behold that truth- to let it stir in our hearts and lead us to a total submission and surrender of our souls to the Lord.
 
We should take in the beauty of our Savior's birth- apart from the gifts, the decorations, the seasonal drinks and parties. To really let the beauty of our Lord's birth simmer within us and cause us to reflect continually on what His birth meant for humanity.
 
I encourage you to let wonder take over in this season of awaiting our Savior's birth, and allow other distractions to take a back seat. In doing so, I pray that you will come to a fresh understanding of how we are each His beloved daughters- known and seen by our Heavenly Father!
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The weekly devotionals seek to encourage you to dig deeper into Scripture as you take the time to daily read, meditate, and internalize the verses in the devotional, along with the passages provided below to give greater context. Take the time to read them throughout the week (repetition is important) and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp what God is showing you about Himself, about you, and how to live in light of these truths. 

Passages to read/memorize/meditate:


Luke 5:26
Romans 15:13
Malachi 2:5

 Questions to Reflect on:

1. What does wonder mean to you? What does it (or has it) led you to?
2.  During this Christmas season- what new ideas and truths have been presented to you?
3.  What are some distractions getting in the way, and what can you do to prevent them?