Wonder As Worship

 

“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

When my oldest son was small, one of the first questions that he learned to ask was "What's that?"  It sounded more like "What-at?" which sounded really cute the first dozen times he said it, but after a hundred times or so, it strained my patience.  

But I recall doing my very best to answer him every time he asked.  

We would be driving down the road, and I would hear him from the back seat asking, "What-at?" over and over again as we passed trees, buildings, bridges, signs, literally everything he could see from his car seat.  

"What-at?" "A tree." 

"What-at?" "Another tree." 

"What-at?" "A stop sign."

"What-at?" "Yet another tree." 

Children are naturally curious.

They ask questions endlessly. Why is the sky blue? Where do stars come from? Why do birds sing? They approach the world with wonder because they have not yet learned to take it for granted.

Adults often lose that capacity.

We become busy. Distracted. Efficient. Familiarity replaces wonder. We stop noticing the extraordinary beauty hidden within ordinary life.

Yet Scripture continually calls us back to awe.

“The heavens are telling the glory of God,” declares Psalm 19. Creation itself becomes a testimony to the Creator. The natural world invites us to wonder, to pay attention, and to worship.

Curiosity is closely connected to wonder.

Wonder begins when we stop assuming that we have seen everything there is to see.

Jesus frequently pointed people toward ordinary things—birds, seeds, vineyards, flowers—and used them to reveal profound spiritual truths. He understood that curiosity opens the door to deeper awareness.

Emerson's observation that beauty is God's handwriting captures this beautifully. The world is filled with signs of God's creativity and presence, but we often miss them because we are rushing.

Wonder slows us down.

It invites us to notice.

To marvel.

To receive.

Curiosity as a spiritual practice means intentionally cultivating awe. It means taking walks without headphones. Watching sunsets. Listening to birdsong. Reading poetry. Gazing at the stars. Asking questions not because we need immediate answers, but because the act of wondering itself enlarges the soul.

The more we practice wonder, the more we discover that God is everywhere.

Not hidden.

Not absent.

Simply waiting to be noticed.

Prayer

Creator God, restore within me a sense of wonder. Help me notice beauty, mystery, and grace in the world around me. May my curiosity lead me toward deeper worship and gratitude. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. What fills you with wonder today?
2. When was the last time you paused simply to admire something beautiful?
3. How might cultivating awe deepen your spiritual life?