Imago Adventus - 02 - Ravished
Genesis 1:1-5, 26-27
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” . . . God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
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I woke up this morning before the rest of the crew in my house as I normally do. It was dark out, but one of our Christmas light strands had turned on via our timer. It was the snowflake lights around the big mirror in our living room. I just stopped as I walked out and loved the sight of the lights reflected in the mirror. I stood there and thought about the many times that I have personally been halted with wonder over something that I saw - whether it was something natural within God’s marvelous creation or something that humans had crafted. What was going through my mind is the wonder that I continue to see in my children during this season. This is not their first Christmas, but the wonder is still there - the wonder of putting up the tree, ornaments, and lights. The wonder of writing a letter to Santa. The wonder of being part of a Christmas play on Christmas Eve (they were talking at dinner last night about how excited they are). The wonder of a child about what is to come. I have experienced this wonder many times over in my life but I hope that I will always have a desire to find wonder around me with my heart open to experience.
Voskamp quotes John Calvin when he wrote that every human being is ““formed to be a spectator of the created world and given eyes that he might be led to its author . . . first [to] cast our eyes upon the very beautiful fabric of the world in which [God] wishes to be seen by us. . . . As soon as we acknowledge God to be the supreme architect, who has erected the beauteous fabric of the universe, our minds must necessarily be ravished with wonder at His infinite goodness, wisdom and power.”
Ravished with wonder. What a beautiful phrase. The dictionary definition of “ravished” is to be filled with intense delight. Its a fancier way of saying “takes your breath away.” So many things around us should take our breath away as we think of the things of God - the power, wisdom, and goodness.
Voskamp asks today about what makes us pause (be ravished) in wonder? So far today, these lights brought back so much of wonder. I am sure more will come through the day. What about you?