The dictionary describes wonder as, “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.”
Wonder is often associated with Christmas, in regard to the wonder of the season, the “beauty” and “awe”.
In the song, (Mary’s Song), Breath of Heaven, Mary uses the word wonder to tell of her unfamiliar and unsure situation, traveling into the unknown, feeling her unworthiness to have been chosen by God to give birth to a baby who will become the savior of the world. After reading this, click the link below to hear this beautiful song.
Wonder. Amazing how this words meaning can change through the power of prayer.
I’ve been in a phase of waiting, “wondering,” for so long. I’ve submitted my “wonders” to God in prayer, then done my best to leave them with Him, trusting He would answer according to His perfect will.
Then, praise His Holy Name, I’ve seen real true miracles unfold around me, and I am in WONDER at how much He truly cares about the small as well as the big things in my life. I have so much to share, and I will, but can’t yet. So just for now, I’ll share one part of an answered prayer.
I have a book contract! In a day or two I’ll share the entire beautiful, and wonderful story.
What do you wonder about? Pray, then leave your wonderings with God, trust that He loves you, hears your petition, and will answer, according to His will. Then rejoice in the peace He will surely give you. And thank Him. By doing so, I am certain you will experience the WONDER of His Love! I have and am so thankful!
Still continuing with Deacon Alfred’s Christmas Challenge to read a chapter of Romans each day until Christmas. Christmas is almost here and we are almost finished. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these chapters as much as I have. Here’s the next chapter of Romans: Romans 14.
Romans 14
New International Version (NIV)
The Weak and the Strong
14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
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Lots of good meat to chew on in this one, except for days of fasting, then you should do like I do and not eat meat, because I do everything right, according to what the church says and I see that some of you don’t….oops. How many times do we do this? Judge each other. Paul says we should not argue with one another about these issues. What is important is that all believers do what they do to honor the Lord. We mustn’t condemn other people. After all we will stand before God’s judgement seat in same way that they will. Paul’s concern is that we do what we do out of love for the God, and not in the belief that religious practices will bring salvation.
Prayer: Father forgive me for judging brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to love those with whom I disagree with. In the end, I pray that we will all kneel before you as one faithful body of Christ, and every tongue will confess you are God. Amen.
Thanks for joining me in Deacon Alfred Sturges’ Christmas Challenge to read a chapter of Romans, each day, until Christmas. Here’s Chapter 10. Let’s see what wisdom it carries for us today…
Romans 10
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.2 I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Salvation Is for All
5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say?
“The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news;[c] for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”
19 Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
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So, Paul begins by saying not to discuss who is going to Heaven and who to Hell, but to: “confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
And Paul says there is salvation for all who believe. What a simple doorway to Heaven, to everlasting life, to God. Confess and believe! Could God make it any easier? Who wouldn’t do it? Who wouldn’t want it? Right?
I was baptized as an infant in the Lutheran church, and was confirmed in the same church, then later became an Anglo-Catholic Christian.
Several years ago, a Baptist gentleman asked me, “Have you been saved? Have you confessed with your lips that Jesus is Lord?” Though I believed I was saved at my Baptism and thought I’d personally confirmed that at my confirmation, and I truly did think Jesus was the Lord, I had to think for a moment. Had I said the words? Really meant them in my heart. Paul says we should do so. Is there a formula, a string of words we must say? While I’m sure it’s all about where your heart is when you say this prayer, why take chances? That evening, I got down on my knees and prayed the words, really meaning them in my heart. While I’m sure that prayer didn’t hurt my soul, later, I realized that I say the same words each Sunday during Mass. They’re in the Nicene Creed, found in our 1928 Book of Common Prayer that we use during our service, and are a part of many Christian services:
I BELIEVE in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man: And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried: And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father: And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the Prophets: And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins: And I look for the Resurrection of the dead: And the Life of the world to come. Amen.
The words above truly seem to be a confession that Jesus is Lord. And if we say them, we should believe them in our hearts. God makes it all so easy. As the last lines of this chapter say, 21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
Who, in their right mind, wouldn’t take the hand of God when offered? I don’t understand. Whatever denomination or non-denominational Christian or seeker we are, the word is near us, on our lips and in our hearts. Say them!
Continuing with Deacon Alfred’s Christmas Challenge to read a chapter of Romans a day, until Christmas. Romans 9 (with a short reflection and cute pics below):
Romans 9
New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s Anguish Over Israel
9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.
God’s Sovereign Choice
6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”[i]
26 and,
“In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”
29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
“Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.”
Israel’s Unbelief
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
“MOM, IT’S NOT FAIR!!!!” I heard that a million times raising kids. (my adorable Jake and Betsy above) And, here’s another fav: “Why?” My favorite answer, “Because I’m the mom and I said so.” Oh, I used to love this response! For all of you new Moms or Dads, use that line! It’s so empowering. Kind of reminds me of this chapter in Romans. We are God’s children. God knows best. Quit your whining, beg for mercy instead.
Now, that sounds familiar. What parent can refuse a humble heartfelt request? Or a request from a cutie like the one above. (my Nick).
Our Father in Heaven probably can’t refuse a request for mercy from us, either. Even more than we can love our own children, He loves us. That’s all for today, busy day. Blessings to all and thanks for stopping by!
Deacon Alfred Sturges’ challenge to read Romans, a Chapter a day, until Christmas has been an enlightening journey so far, but this chapter well….oh my…seriously, it reduced me to tears.
Today, during our church service, with a troubled mind and a heavy heart, I asked God a lot of questions. This evening, I read Romans 8, and seriously, every question was answered. I’m offering a few thoughts in the beginning of this blog post, then posting Romans. Pray. Read. Reflect. Ask God questions, any questions. And if you don’t say, “Wow!” at the end of this chapter, I’ll be very surprised. Let me know. First, a few short thoughts before you delve into Romans 8.
The season of Advent is about preparing ourselves for Christmas; for the coming of the Christ Child. We get used to saying those words, but what does Christmas really mean to the heart, to the soul? There’s one line in the song, O Holy Night, that sums it up for me:
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
It’s my favorite Christmas Hymn. If you want to hear it, here’s the entire song, sung by Josh Groban:
“…the soul felt its worth.” Wow again! To me, this is what Romans, Chapter 8 is all about…the soul truly feeling its worth. I’ve been thinking about my soul during this challenge. It’s worth, how I see myself. How others see me. How God sees me. And something changed in my soul after reading this chapter.
Whether the world ends on the 21st or whenever we die and come face to face with God, I want to be prepared and be able to stand worthy before my Creator. I pray that this chapter touches your heart as much as it did mine. I pray that God shows you, through His Word, the worth of your soul. I’d love to hear your thoughts afterwards.
Here’s Romans 8:
Romans 8: Life Through the Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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We have become children of God by Christ’s death on the cross. And as we question and wonder, the Holy Spirit is at work praying to the Father on our behalf. And not only is the Spirit at work, but God the Father is at work, through this messy, sad, heartbreaking life, working ALL things for the good of those who love Him. Even if we are clueless about our lives, even if we are lonely, sad, and confused, God is taking the broken parts of our life and and making something purposeful, intentional and good. We are called, according to His purpose, to be in a relationship with God and committed to following His ways. And NOTHING can separate us from the love of God! NOTHING!
YOU ARE LOVED! YOUR SOUL HAS INCREDIBLE WORTH! WOW!
To conspire... act in harmony toward a common or agreed upon end. God wants to conspire with us [and] this means that God calls us to give our lives to God, to surrender completely, so we may live more fully. Dallas Willard
