Wonder

I have been working through the first two chapters of the Gospel of Mark the last few weeks. Jesus teaches with authority. He heals people and casts out demons with immediate results. Jesus calls people and they drop whatever they are doing and follow Him. I have heard and read these stories many times. It can become routine, even ordinary.

When I think about the reality of Jesus, the fact these things happened. The fact that unexplained things happen today, I should be overwhelmed and amazed. What is wrong with me?

Last summer, we would go to a park in the inner city on Sundays. Usually there would be a group of men in the park. Most of the men were immigrants from Africa. A majority of the men were Muslim. One man in particular seemed to want to hear what we had to say about Jesus. One time, he asked me to pray for him, because he had terrible headaches. I prayed. I asked God to heal him. I pleaded with God to show His power. I wanted to see a change. As usual, no clouds parted, nothing remarkable happened that day. On another day in the park, the man came and said his head was healed. The pain was gone. He demonstrated it by doing a flip on the sidewalk. I was witness to a miracle.

Did I show wonder that day? More than I have when reading the Gospels lately, but not near enough. This is something that I need to work on. I must let myself experience the wonder of God, or there will always be a wall between myself and God that will keep God at a safe distance. This is not acceptable. Bring on the wonder!