I know we are now a month out from Christmas, but I recently heard a Pastor give a message on the birth of Christ asking us as a congregation if we had “Lost our Marvels?”  It gained some snickers, nervous laughter, and shifting uncomfortably in the church seats.  He let it hang in the air before clarifying what he was referring to in Luke 2:8-20.  Thinking about that Holy Night, Luke 2:18 says, “And all who heard it were amazed about the things which the shepherds told them.”

That message has stuck with me, penetrating my heart deeply.  Since moving to Arizona last summer from Iowa, I’ve been amazed by the sights I’ve seen, marveling at the workmanship of God, and delighting in the new people who have entered my life in many capacities.  Others often laugh at me, smile, and shake their heads because I am amazed daily at something new that I haven’t seen or experienced, even something as insignificant as a lizard or something as emotionally stunning as the sunset over the mountains.

But it’s not only in the world around me that I find amazement.  Through several Bible studies, I see that the older and more mature I grow in the faith, the more childlike I become.  Sitting at the feet of my Heavenly Father, I’m more aware each day of how He has brought me from a very young believer at the age of 8 to a seasoned age of 50+.  Although my husband and I have faced multiple tragedies in our lives, our faith never wavered, and through those seasons of heartache and despair, God never left our side.  Blessings upon blessings have been like sunshine through the darkest storms.  I could write a book (oh, wait!  I have…3 of them so far) of testimony after testimony of how God carried us through and delivered us through miraculous ways.

But it’s not just enough to experience the MARVELS of God.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  You must share these wonderful God-given moments with others to encourage, edify, and give hope and comfort so that others may “be amazed about the things” you have told them.  It’s like getting the most wonderful present (Christmas, birthday, or a surprise gift) and not reacting or telling anyone else about it.  That would be ridiculous!  Of course, we want to share that spectacular gift with others!

Think about the last time you were shopping in your favorite mall store and found a great deal.  You immediately text your closest friends and family, sharing the joy of ” getting a great deal”! But the MARVELS of God is much more intimate, personal, and finely tuned to your personality.  You won’t find it on TV, in stores, or other fleeting social media streams.  The MARVELS of God are around you, everywhere and at all times.  You have to look up and see the gifts God is placing in your life daily.

When was the last time you marveled at the workmanship of God?  Was it a newborn?  A sunset?  A snow-capped mountain? Tumultuous waves on the ocean?  How about the last time someone publicly professed the name of Jesus Christ as a new believer or the baptism of one following Christ?  When was the last time you shared the marvels of God in your life with someone who desperately needed to hear a word of hope, comfort, or encouragement from someone walking a path similar to theirs?

Lord, help me to marvel at your workmanship with child-like wonder and amazement.  Never let me lose the newness of your mercies every morning.