by Menlo Church on Jan 15, 2024
In the exploration of the theme "Wired for Wonder," individuals are invited to delve into the concept of wonder and how it can serve as a grounding force in their lives, especially as a new year unfolds, potentially carrying over the challenges of the past. The message emphasizes the importance of recognizing God's power to center and guide one's life, regardless of whether one is new to faith or has been a believer for a long time.
The message begins by acknowledging the cultural moment of honoring Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and the ongoing movement for equality. It is highlighted that Christians have historically advocated for the belief that all people are created in the image of God, possessing inherent dignity, value, and worth. This belief extends to all individuals, regardless of their views on God, and underscores the universal love and salvation offered through Jesus.
The narrative then shifts to the prophet Habakkuk, who questions God's apparent inaction in the face of injustice. Habakkuk's dialogue with God reveals a vision of God's power over nature and the ultimate plan for justice that transcends human understanding. This vision is exemplified by the story of Jesus calming a storm, demonstrating his authority over creation and inviting his followers to trust in his power.
The message also addresses the modern-day issues of "hurry sickness" and "worry sickness," where individuals are overwhelmed by the pace of life and the anxiety of potential negative outcomes. It is suggested that these worries can isolate individuals and prevent them from experiencing the wonder of God's presence in their lives. The community is encouraged to support one another and to remember that God cares deeply for each person.
The speaker draws parallels between the experiences of Habakkuk and contemporary life, suggesting that individuals can find wonder in God's creation and presence in their daily routines. The message encourages individuals to seek out moments of wonder, whether through nature, prayer, or reflection on God's work in their lives.
The message concludes with a call to action, urging individuals to identify ways they can look for wonder in the coming week. It is suggested that by focusing on wonder, one can combat the worries and hurried pace that often dominate life. The message ends with a prayer, asking God to meet each person where they are and to help them walk closer to Him.
Key Takeaways:
- The concept of wonder serves as a powerful antidote to the worries and hurried pace of modern life. By focusing on the vastness and power of God, as seen through the wonders of creation and the narratives of scripture, individuals can gain a fresh perspective that places their concerns within a larger, more hopeful context. This shift in focus can lead to a deeper sense of peace and purpose. [21:34]
- The story of Habakkuk and his interaction with God teaches that trust in God's plan is essential, even when it does not align with personal expectations or timelines. This trust is not passive but requires an active surrender of control and a willingness to embrace God's timing and methods, which are often counterintuitive to human nature. [16:46]
- The interconnectedness of the community plays a crucial role in combating feelings of isolation that worry can create. By engaging with others and recognizing that God's care extends to all, individuals can find support and understanding that alleviate the burdens of worry, reinforcing the idea that no one is alone in their struggles. [28:30]
- The practice of intentionally seeking out moments of wonder can be transformative. Whether through engagement with scripture, nature, or the arts, these moments invite individuals to experience the divine in the everyday and to cultivate a sense of awe that can reshape their approach to life's challenges. [26:26]
- The message of hope and salvation through Jesus is not limited to a future promise but is an active reality that can infuse everyday life with meaning. By inviting heaven into the daily narrative, individuals can experience a foretaste of the peace and joy that is promised in the fullness of God's kingdom. [29:07]
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Wired for Wonder"
#### Bible Reading
1. **Habakkuk 3:2-6 (ESV)**
- "O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways."
2. **Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)**
- "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
3. **Mark 4:39-41 (ESV)**
- "And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, 'Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?' And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?'"
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Habakkuk acknowledge about God's power and past actions in Habakkuk 3:2-6?
2. How does Isaiah 55:8-9 describe the difference between God's thoughts and ways compared to ours?
3. In Mark 4:39-41, what was Jesus' response to the storm, and how did the disciples react to it? [22:49]
4. According to the sermon, what are the modern-day issues that can prevent us from experiencing the wonder of God's presence? [07:33]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Habakkuk's vision of God's power in Habakkuk 3:2-6 help him to trust in God's plan despite his initial doubts and worries? [04:45]
2. What does Isaiah 55:8-9 suggest about the nature of God's plans and how we should respond to them?
3. How does the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:39-41 illustrate the concept of wonder and trust in God's power? [23:12]
4. The sermon mentions "hurry sickness" and "worry sickness." How do these concepts relate to the idea of finding wonder in God's presence? [07:56]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by worry or hurry. How might focusing on the wonder of God's creation help you to find peace in those moments? [06:54]
2. Habakkuk had to surrender his desire for control to trust in God's plan. What areas of your life do you find hardest to surrender to God, and how can you begin to trust Him more in those areas? [16:50]
3. The sermon suggests that community plays a crucial role in combating feelings of isolation caused by worry. How can you engage more deeply with your community to find support and understanding? [28:30]
4. Identify a specific moment or activity in your daily routine where you can intentionally seek out wonder. How can you incorporate this practice into your life this week? [26:26]
5. The message of hope and salvation through Jesus is described as an active reality. How can you invite this sense of hope and joy into your everyday life, especially during challenging times? [29:07]
6. The sermon encourages us to look for wonder in the coming week. What is one specific way you can shift your focus from worry to wonder in your daily life? [29:55]
7. Think about a person in your life who might be struggling with worry or hurry. How can you support them in finding moments of wonder and experiencing God's presence? [28:18]
Day 1: Embracing Wonder Amidst Life's Rush
In a world that often feels rushed and burdened with worry, embracing wonder invites a pause to appreciate the vastness and power of God. This act of reflection can shift perspectives, allowing for a deeper sense of peace and purpose. It's a conscious choice to marvel at creation and the narratives of scripture, finding solace in the grandeur of the divine. [21:34]
Psalm 104:24-25 - "How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small."
Reflection: What is one aspect of God's creation that you often overlook? How can you take time this week to appreciate it and find wonder in its existence?
Day 2: Trusting God's Counterintuitive Timing
The story of Habakkuk teaches the importance of trusting in God's plan, even when it seems counterintuitive or delayed by human standards. This trust requires an active surrender, a willingness to let go of personal expectations and embrace the mystery of God's timing. It's a journey of faith, acknowledging that God's ways are higher than our own. [16:46]
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: Can you identify an area in your life where you struggle to trust God's timing? How can you practice surrendering this to God today?
Day 3: Fostering Community Against Isolation
In moments of worry, the feeling of isolation can become overwhelming. However, the interconnectedness of the community is a powerful force against such solitude. By engaging with others and recognizing the universal care of God, burdens are shared and the weight of worry is lessened. This sense of togetherness is a testament to the fact that no one is alone in their struggles. [28:30]
Galatians 6:2 - "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Reflection: Who in your community might be feeling isolated or burdened? How can you reach out to them this week to offer support and companionship?
Day 4: Cultivating Awe in Daily Life
Intentionally seeking out moments of wonder can transform one's approach to life. Whether it's through scripture, nature, or the arts, these moments of awe invite a divine experience into the everyday. They encourage a deeper appreciation for God's work in the world and in personal lives, reshaping how challenges are faced. [26:26]
Job 37:14 - "Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders."
Reflection: What is one routine part of your day that you can approach differently to seek out a moment of wonder and awe?
Day 5: Experiencing Heaven in the Everyday
The hope and salvation offered through Jesus is an active reality that infuses everyday life with meaning. By inviting the essence of heaven into daily experiences, individuals can taste the peace and joy of God's kingdom. This perspective transforms the mundane into the sacred, offering a glimpse of the eternal in the temporal. [29:07]
Colossians 3:1-2 - "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Reflection: How can you invite the reality of heaven into one aspect of your daily routine, experiencing God's kingdom here and now?
Well, hey, good morning, Menlo Church.
So great to be with you. It's been a few weeks since I've been with you. So welcome, so glad that you're here.
In our second week in this series, "Wired for Wonder," that we're beginning our new year with, we're diving into this subject that I think we could all use some more of in our lives. So that as this new year sometimes picks up where the last one left off, we can find God's centering power for our lives. That's really my hope for you in this series. Even if faith is a brand new experience for you, a special welcome to all of our Bay Area campuses: Saratoga, Mountain View, here in Menlo Park, and San Mateo. So glad that you're here. And welcome to those of you joining us online.
It's been really fun to meet more of you even in this last month face to face. We're so thankful for what God is doing in your lives, too.
Now, this week in our culture is where we honor the legacy and leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. Even more than who he was as a man, the movement for equality is both celebrated for its progress in a week like this. And as believers, we also get to pray and ask that the progress that has not yet been made might continue forward in our world.
As a matter of fact, for millennia, Christians have been at the forefront of communicating that all people are created in the image of God with infinite dignity, value, and worth, no matter what they might think about God. That's what God thinks about them. And no one is perfect, including Christians, in this fight and struggle for equality to end racism and prejudice and justice. But we believe that everyone is loved by God and that everyone is offered salvation through his son, Jesus.
And so with that as a backdrop, as we think about today, we think about the new year, we think about all that is in front of us. I'm gonna pray for us. And if you've never been here before, never heard me speak, I pray kneeling. And the reason that I do that is because when we think about the posture of what we might do to present ourselves before God, of this kind of vast power, this kind of incredible supreme character, humbling ourselves is always the appropriate beginning.
Would you pray with me?
God, so many of us walk into a day like today with the year already well underway, with so many things already on our plate, with so much already in front of us. Some of us, God, hope springs eternal on a day like today; for some of us, hope feels so elusive. Some of us, God, we are grieving loss. Some of us are celebrating something new. And God, we ask that you would meet each and every one of us exactly where we are with exactly what we need from you, that we might walk closer to you today and in the days to come because of it. It's in Jesus' name, amen.
I wonder, have you ever seen one of these before?
So, a Chinese finger trap. It's kind of a child's toy. It's pretty easy, once you know how it works, to get out of it, right? You want to pull on it to be able to get out of it, but it's actually by pushing, the way you wouldn't expect, that gets your fingers out of it. You have to do the thing that's counterintuitive.
I've watched plenty of little kids that are trying to learn what this is without explanation, just try to tear it apart because they don't have the patience to do the opposite of what they would expect, right? The principle at play is important, though, because pulling and getting free from the trap are actually mutually exclusive decisions. You can't do the thing that would come most naturally and experience the outcome that you want. It takes the counterintuitive effort to do something different to experience the outcome you hope for.
And I think you're gonna see that parallel pretty closely in the way we talk about wonder today. Last week, Cheryl began our series by introducing us to Habakkuk, a prophet of God who shares his deep concerns about the injustice and pain that he sees all around him in his moment. He does this because he knows the heart of God. He knows that the heart of God is for justice for everyone everywhere, but his perspective is limited.
He provides very direct and honest feedback to God. It's one of the reasons that I love this book. And in turn, God provides him with just a little bit of the plan that he would use to bring ultimate justice to the world. Suffice to say, it was not what Habakkuk had expected. It involved using people that Habakkuk would have considered unusable, would have thought the most unqualified to bring about and deliver God's plan.
But just like this finger trap, Habakkuk needed to see something that would allow him to understand the counterintuitive nature of God in order to trust the plan he was hearing. Last week, we saw God's perspective highlighted this way: "Look among the nations and see. Wonder and be astonished, for I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." He would go on and tell him anyway, but this letter becomes this back-and-forth conversation between Habakkuk and God where more and more details get shared.
Habakkuk should kind of be a little bit of a cautionary tale for all of us because many of us, Christian or not, we have this idea that if I see God one day, I have some questions for him. We also, I think, really, if we're honest, what we mean is, "God, do you have a divine suggestion box where I could just let you know how I think the world and the universe should operate? Because I think you need some feedback."
See, but the all-powerful God that responds to Habakkuk can remind us of just how powerful he truly is. The voice of God, written by the prophet Isaiah, puts it this way, putting words to God: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
So what will you do? Will you, like the child that first experiences the finger trap, just pull harder and harder with the concerns that you have and the conclusions that you assume in your own worry? Or will you try something different? I think a series like this, diving into words like this from Habakkuk, gives us that invitation.
A core idea that we find in Habakkuk about the counterintuitive and mutually exclusive nature of wonder is that you will not find wonder in your worry. They are mutually exclusive.
We're gonna look at a section of Habakkuk's final response to God in his short letter. We're skipping to the last chapter on purpose because he gives us a vision of giving up the hurry of our worry, which is necessary if we want to wonder today, this week, this year.
Worry is one of those concepts that's so hardwired into us that our own version of worry feels just like the temperature of the water we're swimming in. We're unaware of what alternatives even exist. What seems normal for you may feel so stressful and overwhelming to someone else, but you have no standard by which to compare.
Some of you, you're successful at your job at least in part because of your capacity to worry, or at least that's what you've convinced yourself of. You can see around the corner. You can see what threats are coming. You can see the holes in the research, but that skill can easily bleed into places and into relationships with people where it is not helpful.
See, worry and hurry, they often get linked because pace is usually where the problem of worry shows up. Nearly 40 years ago, two cardiologists, while doing research at Stanford, developed a concept called hurry sickness. Hurry sickness is a form of unhealthy busyness, often displayed by a surplus of activities and a deficit of time to complete or experience them well, leading to a pace that is incompatible with personal peace or deep relationships.
Now, I know none of you struggle with that, but maybe you know someone who does, right? Just take notes for them. No, I think we can all feel this on some level, right? Our cultural pace has certainly not slowed down in the last 40 years. I think on some level, Habakkuk felt the press of hurry sickness even as he was writing. He wanted God to work in his timeline, during his lifetime, because he wanted to be a part of seeing it all come to pass. Sound familiar?
But the prayer that we see him offer back to God, once he has heard the plan, the one he can't even fully comprehend, gives us a snapshot of what trusting the person of God beyond our personal plans can look like.
Let's look at a few verses together. Habakkuk says back, "Oh Lord, I have heard the report of you and your work. Oh Lord, do I fear; in the midst of the years revive it, in the midst of the years make it known. In wrath, remember mercy."
"God came from Taman and the Holy One from Mount Peron. Selah. His splendor covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand, and there he veiled his power. Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations. Then the eternal mountains were scattered; never-lasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways."
Now, we aren't totally sure about the moment in time in the history of Israel that Habakkuk is writing these words, but he is referencing back to the deliverance from Egypt and God's faithfulness in past generations.
And I would say this: whether you're a Christian or not, whether you're a person of faith or not, you have experienced God's grace and faithfulness in your life. You have. There are times and circumstances in all of our lives when the outcome didn't match the expectation, where something shouldn't have worked out and it did, where something shouldn't have been healed and it was, where something shouldn't have added up financially and it overflowed.
God's grace is present in all of our lives, and those are little glimmers and little hopes in a broken and damaged world that show us even when healing doesn't come, healing is available. Even when things don't measure up, even when things don't work out, even when the disease isn't cured, the God of health, healing, and hope is still alive and well.
Scholars who study this passage offer multiple possibilities for what is happening with Habakkuk here. It's clearly more than just Habakkuk getting a note from God or even hearing audibly from God what was about to happen. It's more like Habakkuk's reaction to being offered a vision, being taken somewhere by God, and not just told what was going to happen, but shown what God would do.
I asked Dolly, an artificial intelligence tool, to create an image of what this passage might look like. And regardless of how close this image lines up to what Habakkuk actually saw, it gives us a sense of the scale of God's power that no matter what you are facing, you see his covering of the heavens, his rays of power flowing from him, the coming judgment to bring ultimate justice in partnership with grace.
We will never experience perfect and permanent justice this side of the moment that Habakkuk saw in the future. When we read a passage like this, it's easy to see why Habakkuk could begin to let go of some of his worry and some of his hurry. He had been thinking about how it would all take place in his lifetime, but God was not primarily interested in just completing things in his lifetime. God's timeline is all of time. He's not trying to meet your and my expectations or timelines. It actually wouldn't be good if he did.
At the root of the hurry is a false sense of control and a desire to maximize our own influence while ignoring the influence and impact of the kind of God that Habakkuk is describing. Some of the symptoms of this idea of hurry sickness get documented in a book called "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. And he highlights a few this way.
He talks about constant rushing, this idea that in every situation throughout our lives, we find ourselves just pushing the pace, pushing the pace, pushing the pace. Maybe for you, it's superficiality. You can never get deeper in relationship; for you, you are always skimming the surface. A restlessness, workaholism, emotional numbness, out-of-order priorities, lack of care for your body, escapist behavior, spiritual neglect, and isolation.
And before you ask, no, these were not written just for people who live in Silicon Valley. I'm sure that we can all remember a time when we didn't need to be in our hurry, but we felt rushed anyway. I can be this way when I'm driving sometimes. There is no reason to push the pace of the trip, but I have let myself operate at an unsustainable pace long enough that that pace has become the pattern. And I just follow the pattern no matter the circumstances.
Other times at work or with family and friends, maybe you find yourself giving a disproportionate response emotionally when someone or something has inconvenienced you. Those are little red flags in our lives that we may be too narrowly focusing on the problem of our life without remembering that the person who is bigger than the problem is the one that can run and rule our lives.
A psychologist in the '70s coined the term "flow." And flow is a concept of being so immersed in something that your intrusive thoughts and self-critique fade, giving you greater freedom in the moment. I think that Habakkuk was in the flow when he had this vision with God, where so many of the problems of his life that didn't just go away, they went into proper perspective.
Maybe for you, even as I read those words preserved for thousands of years from Habakkuk, maybe for you, you had a moment like that where the things in your life changed, where the things in your life came into proper perspective because no matter the problem, no matter the pain, no matter the injustice, God is ushering in his kingdom in your world and in the world. And no matter how foreign that kingdom may feel, God's kingdom will be fulfilled. His kingdom will come, his will will be done. It's inevitable.
So the mutually exclusive principle is that if this kind of wonder is available, then your kind of worry isn't necessary. As a matter of fact, you will not find wonder in your worry. Try it out. What is the situation that you feel too close to? Zoom out to the picture that God has painted for us.
See, there are times in our life over and over again where we are granted these gifts from God that show us just how magnificent and wonderful he truly is. And we see it at different times through the language and vocabulary and eyes of ancient writers, people who have experienced this long before any of us were alive. One of the most famous ones that gives us a portal into wonder shows up when God is talking to Abraham, who would become the father of Israel.
And Abraham, who would have been collecting social security checks for many decades at this point, is told by God to go count the number of stars in the sky with no light pollution in the Middle East thousands of years ago. And he says, "That's the blessing that's waiting for you. That's the nation that I'll grow from you." And for Abraham, that would have just been a lot of stars. It would have been overwhelming and seemingly impossible.
And now for us, thousands of years later, we would say, "Oh, well, we actually know the number that we're talking about." That if in our little master-planned corner of the universe, our individual galaxy, you were to look out in the sky and could count the number of stars, if you counted one star for every second, it would take you 2,500 years to count all the stars in the galaxy. That's the size of God that we have.
The second half of the section that we're looking at from Habakkuk gives us a glimpse into what he was really having to surrender in order to find greater wonder in God. Consumed with God's judgment, delivered in the way and timing that he really wanted, Habakkuk had to begin giving up getting even. We all want to get even. I bet you have some people in your life right now that you want to get even with. Maybe you've been praying about them already.
And you know, there's a thing when we get wrong, getting even feels important because it feels like it makes sure that that wrong doesn't go unaddressed. But in this verse, we aren't seeing him give up on things being made right. We're just seeing him surrender the poison of trying to do that on his own and letting God be the one that does the work to make it right in a way that only he can.
He continues this lengthy section this way. He says, "I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers or your indignation against the sea? When you rode on your horses or your chariot of salvation, you stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers; the mountains saw you and rived; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice. It lifted its hands on high; the sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. You marched through the earth in fury; you stretched the nations in anger. You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed; you crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah. You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters."
You can see why maybe we don't include that passage in children's Bibles. Hahaha. But it reminds us that judgment is coming. It reminds us that while God is loving and God is patient, God is also perfectly holy and perfectly judging.
See, Habakkuk, he's referencing back to God's faithfulness throughout all of Israel's history, bringing to mind military victory over impossible foes, bringing to mind supernatural provision in the midst of poverty, freedom from repeated captivity, times where it just should have never worked that way. And God kept showing up over and over and over again.
We see these glimpses of the forever kingdom of heaven, and we still see those glimpses in the life and ministry of Jesus thousands of years later, and we still see those glimpses of that kingdom today. If we're looking, no matter how difficult the circumstances in your life, no matter how insurmountable the enemy that you face, God's faithfulness is still greater.
The vision from Habakkuk is one of an infinitely invincible God. I'm always a little nervous about using military and war terms to describe God, but the power here is greater than anything any of us could imagine.
This week in the BBC, there was an announcement that a second supercluster was discovered, roughly 9.3 billion light years away and almost perfectly symmetrical, an arc spanning 3.3 billion light years across. If we could see it from the earth and lined up side by side, it would be the size of 35 of our moons in the sky. We just found it.
And here's the problem: because of how science understands the origins of the universe, these symmetrical clusters have even more questions that go with them because that's not supposed to be the way that it works. And so they're trying to figure out an answer to the question of why are these like that? And how does that show up?
But I think they remind us of just how incredible our God is. As a matter of fact, experts continue to look for and try to find more intelligent life in the universe because we can all be honest: as we look at the size and scale of the universe, if we are it, it would seem like maybe the universe got a little bit overbuilt.
But the writers in the scriptures tell us that the heavens declare the glories of God. And so maybe, just maybe, one of the reasons that the universe exists in a vast nature is so that as we look at it, we might see the character and nature of God. That's wonder.
This isn't about magical thinking that makes our problems disappear. It's about putting our problems in proper perspective. This passage reminds us of who God is and how capable he is to handle our lives and our world. God's heart breaks for the injustices in our life. God's heart breaks for what's breaking yours, but it doesn't break him. He will continue to reign and rule and usher in a plan that is bigger than all of us and yet includes each of us.
He isn't surprised or overwhelmed by the weight of your worry. He isn't broken by what breaks us. We get such a clear vision of God's power in this passage that Habakkuk is asking God. He's like, "Are you mad at the natural elements? Like you are so powerful. Are you mad at the river? Are you mad at the sea? Are you mad at the mountains? Are you mad at the sun? Are you mad at the moon?" But they are all obeying him.
In this future-looking vision that Habakkuk's describing, he's describing God putting all of natural creation back into its proper place. Jesus' disciples actually watched this happen during his earthly ministry. They were out on a boat where these professional fishermen faced a storm while Jesus slept, and they were convinced—these professional fishermen—they were convinced that this storm was about to take their life, and so they wake up Jesus to go, "Do you care? We're just gonna all die?"
And they see this response from Jesus recorded by the Apostle Mark: "He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him?"
I've often thought, as I've read this passage, how amazing it is that John 1 gives us a picture that the voice of creation, the agent of creation in Genesis 1, was the person of Jesus. And so here, the wind and the waves that came into existence from the voice of Jesus are now finding peace because of the same voice that created them. That's an invitation to wonder.
They still had problems at the end of their day. It didn't make everything all better, but they also had Jesus, and they knew the power that he carried a little bit more after that.
Growing up, I learned some old hymns that would remind me of the principles and nature of God. And I love new songs, and worship music is one of my favorite types of music. I think some of the music we sing now, while it's great, we sort of sing it for a minute and then it's gone, and hymns have this kind of staying power.
And so I would love to sing just a section of a hymn. It's called "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." And if you know it, I'd love for you to sing it with me because I think it can be a reminder for all of us. One of those things that we just say, "God, would you get this stuck in my head today? Would you remind me of this?"
Would you sing these words with me?
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."
Doesn't mean that everything's all better, but it will be one day. For followers of Jesus, that's the reminder all the time. Every time we take a moment to experience and remember the wonder of God.
A lot of times, for followers of Jesus, we think about new year rhythms of either how to create something new or renew something. Maybe it's Bible reading, or it's study, prayer, maybe even church attendance. Maybe that's why you're here today. And those are all great things, but I think Habakkuk would tell us, don't let those things just become cold routine. Always find and wonder in the person and the work of Jesus.
See, the reason that we're providing the wonder journals in this series is so that you can let God meet you in this place of greater appreciation for the full scope of his glory and power. The wonder of God is bigger than the worries of our lives. But if we never look at him, we will never see it. Days like today, passages like these are invitations to do just that.
So if it's true that you won't find wonder in your worry, how can you combat the worry and the hurry with the wonder of God's power in creation? You can do it just like Habakkuk did. I can tell you all the ways to get outdoors and enjoy the creation, which are all true, but might not be you.
Thomas Merton, a monk, challenged where we could find wonder by simply stating, "The gate of heaven is everywhere." When Jesus taught us how to pray, he said, "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." And when we pray that prayer, we're saying, "God, you can show up anywhere and everywhere all the time." But are we looking?
Maybe in your own heart, you have to ask God to change the affections and what you're praying for that you might discover God's wonder. It's available. Maybe it's in the beauty of your daily routine, or if you enjoy nature, it's the beauty of finding God in the splendor of the ocean or the mountains that Habakkuk saw so clearly were under God's control.
But for some of you, it's difficult to escape. How can I find God wonderful even in my own mind? How can I understand the incredible capacity of God? Recently, I've been so encouraged by a podcast that's kind of been this breadcrumb for me personally. It's a podcast talking about the work of God on a global scale to bring back a sense of hope and faith.
The podcast is called "The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God." Just a decade ago, the new atheist movement in our culture and in the West was so prominent, and we see God bringing even some of those very people to a personal faith in Jesus. It's incredible.
I mentioned the idea of hurry sickness and the symptoms that we might feel, but what about worry sickness in your life? Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the potential outcomes that you have yet to experience? Are you paralyzed in indecision because the outcomes aren't universally positive? It feels like a risk.
Do you struggle to sleep because your mind is racing, already trying to solve the problems that felt unaddressed from the day before while new ones are awaiting you in the morning, and you're doing all of it as though you're the only one doing it? So much of our wonder is worried away because the worry itself isolates us.
We convince ourselves that no one can help, no one can understand, no one is even interested in helping. And here's the thing: every time we do that, every time we convince ourselves we're the only ones who can do this, no one can help, no one's interested, we hurt ourselves and we hurt other people.
God's got something so much better for you than that. Those are lies. There are people here at Menlo that would love to be in relationship with you, that would love to have you in their group, that would love for you to be needed and known in this place. And the God of the universe is the reason why, because he cares.
He cares so much that he would send his only son to live a perfect life, die on your behalf, and then come back from the grave so that you and I could experience life with him today and forever.
So many of us, we think about this idea of God's plan about someday in heaven, and that's true, but it's also today, right here, that heaven might enter into your everyday story.
As we finish our time together, I want to ask God together where we might look for wonder this week. I'm going to ask you to take a moment just yourself in the quietness of your own heart and mind to pray and listen. Maybe it's in your Bible this week, maybe it's a long walk in prayer and unhurried conversation with a friend.
Maybe it's letting God show you where your life is unnecessarily divided and where it's creating stress and pressure. Whatever your next step is, write it down, type it out. Maybe even schedule it in your calendar so that you don't forget.
See, here's the thing: if worry can keep you from wonder, I have really good news. Wonder can keep you from worry.
So let's take just a moment, pray in the quiet in your own moment. And then at the end, I'll pray for us and finish our time together.
1) "The wonder of God is bigger than the worries of our lives. But if we never look at him, we will never see it." [25:35] (Download)
2) "Wonder can keep you from worry. So let's take just a moment, pray in the quiet and your own moment." [29:46] (Download)
3) "God's kingdom will be fulfilled. His kingdom will come, his will will be done. It's inevitable." [14:34] (Download)
4) "God's heart breaks for the injustices in our life. God's heart breaks for what's breaking yours but it doesn't break him." [22:13] (Download)
5) "The vision from Habakkuk is one of an infinitely invincible God... This isn't about magical thinking that makes our problems disappear. It's about putting our problems in proper perspective." [21:34] (Download)
6) "We will never experience perfect and permanent justice this side of the moment that Habakkuk saw in the future." [11:52] (Download)
7) "God's timeline is all of time. He's not trying to meet your and my expectations or timelines. It actually wouldn't be good if he did." [11:52] (Download)
8) "The voice of creation, the agent of creation in Genesis 1 was the person of Jesus. And so here, the wind and the waves that came into existence from the voice of Jesus are now finding peace because of the same voice that created them." [23:26] (Download)
9) "God's grace is present in all of our lives and those are little glimmers and little hopes in a broken and damaged world that show us the deep gave forth from its voice." [10:28] (Download)
10) "Habakkuk needed to see something that would allow him to understand the counterintuitive nature of God in order to trust the plan he was hearing." [03:51] (Download)
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