Finding the Wonder | Julie Arndt

The other day I dove into a task that was long overdue… cleaning up my worship song book. Out with the old and in with the new! But what I found as I thumbed through the pages of our worship history surprised me.

Let me just start by saying, the worship team learns a LOT of songs; good songs, songs that didn’t really work out as we’d hoped, GREAT songs, and songs that seem to take us to a place of glory. This last group are the songs I want to talk about.

There are only a few songs that really seem to transcend time. What I mean by that is this: there are some songs that are so good, they never seem to get old. You know what I’m talking about, like “How Great Is Our God,” or “Great Is They Faithfulness.” Two songs written decades apart, yet both stir our desire to lay everything we have down so that all we can do is worship and love on Creator God, Faithful Father.

Then there are songs that seem to be for a season in time. Maybe it’s the fresh revelation of God’s glory, or an attribute we see in God that makes it so special. It’s that go-to song that you know will carry people to the throne room. And then one Sunday, it happens. The go-to song didn’t bring people in! What?! This song always inspires people to rise up and worship. Sigh...

Why does that happen? And what do you do with songs like that? Purging those songs that used to be so amazing and inspiring are like trying to throw away your kids handmade projects from school. Every single one of them has a wonderful memory attached, yet they seem to have outlived their time. And then it hits me… It was never about the handmade project, it was always about the love you shared between the two of you as you marveled over their gift… globby glue, crooked glittery bling, and all.

Yes! That’s it! It was never about the song… it was always about the wonder and amazement you found in the moment. That moment when your heart touched on the greatness of God and cried out that nothing matter more than this very holy moment! Nothing compared to the greatness of God! Nothing in life is better than this! Nothing! Although the song helped you get to that place of revelation, the revelation wasn’t in the song. The revelation was in Him! The song only held the memory of the encounter. Wow, how my spirit longs for these kinds of encounters!

And finally, like a bud slowly opening to reveal its hidden beauty, I began to see the beauty in hungering for more. Certainly God is with us. Surely He favors us with His presence. After all, Jesus said that everything that was His is now ours! But is it possible that we can become desensitized to His presence simply by having the same kind of encounters over and over again? Do we cease to see the wonder in His faithfulness, just because we have grown to know Him as Faithful? Just like with those songs that brought so much grace for the revelation of that moment… how do we maintain the innocence of wonder? How do we mature in our understanding of God without losing the gift of amazement in all that He is? How do we talk to God face to face, sit on His lap, walk hand in hand with Holy Spirit, yet still recognize His holiness and deity?

Grace. The operational power of Christ working in us!

Ask for the grace to know the wonder and the beauty of His holiness. I think this is what we are really asking for when we sing, “show me Your glory!” We are asking for God to reveal what no eye has seen… to hear what no ear has heard… to understand what no mind can comprehend. Like children eagerly awaiting Christmas morning, we long to feel the total amazement of being in the presence of the Holy One! For us, this is where our spirit is most at home. Look for a fresh, new encounter with Him. Don’t be satisfied with what you have already… be jealous for more!

This can only be revealed to us through grace. Can you imagine the pleasure God has in our asking? Revealing Himself to His created ones is the fulfillment of His greatest desire.

If this is your heart’s cry, then pray this prayer with me. Holy Spirit, we want to see Your glory! We ask for grace that increases our hunger for You. We receive Your grace to find the wonder of You. We long to be amazed and in awe of Your Holiness. Wash our eyes in Your love so that we can see You. Bathe our ears in truth that we can know You. Fan the flame within our hearts so that our passions and desires can only be satisfied with more of You! Amen.

Ahhh… it’s so good to know, it’s never been about the wineskin (the song), it’s always been about the New Wine! …and I’m one thirsty girl!!