Losing the Wonder

E shared with me this verse a few days ago...

Ephesians 1:4-5 (New Living Translation)

4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

I know that other E and W have seen this verse alot as have I. It is one of those verses in the bible that we use to support pre-destination and how some of us have been "elected" to become Christians. And so I asked E why she wanted to share this verse with me because I had seen it and was wondering why she was thinking about pre-destination or whatever. Her answer shocked me.

She said because it gave God great pleasure to have us be a part of his family. Not only did he do it, he adopted us whole heartedly with joy. And she said it was encouraging and exciting to know that God's love is so intimate and wonderful that he loves us so much.

I had totally overlooked that part of the verse...maybe because I was reading another version but i think that would hardly make a difference. Such a simple answer that cuts away at all the junk that we argue for. Pre-destination and Free Will. Instead an answer that addresses possibly the most important point of the Word. That God loves us. He loved us so much that he gave his son to die for us. I was reminded of the sermon a few Sundays ago. God wasn't so angry with us that he sent Jesus to die so that he could take out his wrath on him. He loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die.

I guess this is why I titled it "Losing the Wonder". I've grown up but I've also grown old. Turning everything into methods and processes. Things no longer amaze me as much. I just categorize everything and seek a formula and a way to derive things. I am taught to construct experiments so that I may test everything. I am not saying this is bad and we should live as fools. But I have lost that sense of wonder that things, though explainable, are wonderful and amazing. That I don't need to always argue that God is this or God is not this but to know that God loves us so much.

Like little A, to experience everything anew each day.
I guess I'll end with a quote from V which I really like because it speaks to me in my "oldness" and my straight-line scientific method of thought.

"Age may tear me down and maturity may cause me to think, but zeal and passion has no aging."

May you grow up and become wise but never grow old. May you be mature in your thinking but never lose the wonder of your youth. And may you compete with men and not grow weary so that you may compete with horses