“Lost in Wonder, Love and Praise”
Part of the business of being human is wondering. That pagan Greek, Aristotle, recognized that wonder was the root of both philosophy and poetry. Philosophers wonder about; poets wonder at. In my classes, we called the first kind of discursive wondering “ratio;” the second kind of intuitive wondering “intellectus.”
But as Christians, we know that wonder is also the root of all praise. Christ calls us to use our minds to wonder about the world, ourselves, and Him. From that springs science, philosophy, theology. How old is the universe? What is the structure of DNA? If a man dies, will he live again? When are we justified in believing something is true? How can Christ be fully human and fully God at the same time?
To wonder about these questions is to engage our “ratio,” our discursive reason. We look for arguments, for conclusions and proof. And as Christians, when we finish this kind of wondering, we are left to praise the Lord for the way His power, creativity and order have been displayed to our wondering minds. Speculative wonder is one of the roots of praise, and it is a tragic reality that scholars who do not know the Lord are cut off from their intellect’s true end: praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation, who is our health and salvation. I hold that the natural end of discursive wonder is to praise Him who creates and sustains.
(Moreover, as we reflect that He is the one who created and redeemed all creation, the end of this speculative wondering leads us to praise.)
Yes, as Christians, we know that wonder is the root of all praise. But Christ calls us not only to use our minds to wonder about but at the world, ourselves, and Him. Many have marvelled at the beauty of Crater Lake; or at the miracle of birth. Perhaps you have been “lost in wonder” at the smoothness of a child’s cheek, or at the taste of Oregon blueberries, fresh off the bush.
Some of us have been “lost in wonder” at the good news that Christ emptied Himself and took the nature of a servant, becoming one of us—“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!” If you have ever sung that song and seriously thought about what you were singing, you too know this kind of wonder. And as Christians, when we follow this kind of wonder to its end, we are left breathless and trembling, praising the Lord for what we have been priviliged to receive. I hold that the natural end of intuitive wonder is to praise Him who creates, sustains, and redeems.
So, praise is the end, the telos of all Christian wondering.
I thank God for the students who have wondered with me, in both ways, throughout the years.
Charles Wesley wrote:
Finish then thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
Til in heaven we take our place
Til we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.
May 25, 2000
Part of the business of being human is wondering. That pagan Greek, Aristotle, recognized that wonder was the root of both philosophy and poetry. Philosophers wonder about; poets wonder at. In my classes, we called the first kind of discursive wondering “ratio;” the second kind of intuitive wondering “intellectus.”
But as Christians, we know that wonder is also the root of all praise. Christ calls us to use our minds to wonder about the world, ourselves, and Him. From that springs science, philosophy, theology. How old is the universe? What is the structure of DNA? If a man dies, will he live again? When are we justified in believing something is true? How can Christ be fully human and fully God at the same time?
To wonder about these questions is to engage our “ratio,” our discursive reason. We look for arguments, for conclusions and proof. And as Christians, when we finish this kind of wondering, we are left to praise the Lord for the way His power, creativity and order have been displayed to our wondering minds. Speculative wonder is one of the roots of praise, and it is a tragic reality that scholars who do not know the Lord are cut off from their intellect’s true end: praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation, who is our health and salvation. I hold that the natural end of discursive wonder is to praise Him who creates and sustains.
(Moreover, as we reflect that He is the one who created and redeemed all creation, the end of this speculative wondering leads us to praise.)
Yes, as Christians, we know that wonder is the root of all praise. But Christ calls us not only to use our minds to wonder about but at the world, ourselves, and Him. Many have marvelled at the beauty of Crater Lake; or at the miracle of birth. Perhaps you have been “lost in wonder” at the smoothness of a child’s cheek, or at the taste of Oregon blueberries, fresh off the bush.
Some of us have been “lost in wonder” at the good news that Christ emptied Himself and took the nature of a servant, becoming one of us—“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!” If you have ever sung that song and seriously thought about what you were singing, you too know this kind of wonder. And as Christians, when we follow this kind of wonder to its end, we are left breathless and trembling, praising the Lord for what we have been priviliged to receive. I hold that the natural end of intuitive wonder is to praise Him who creates, sustains, and redeems.
So, praise is the end, the telos of all Christian wondering.
I thank God for the students who have wondered with me, in both ways, throughout the years.
Charles Wesley wrote:
Finish then thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
Til in heaven we take our place
Til we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.
May 25, 2000
posted by Beth B at 2:32 PM
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