BiblicalInsights.net

“Wonder is what takes your breath away, and gives your breath back again, to breathe again–transformed!” (William Brown, bible gateway.com).
Wonder is the quality of amazed excitement (Webster).  Wonder is inquisitive awe in pursuit of an understanding of the magnificence of God!  The noblest quest of the human mind is to know God.  Please consider making this your New Year’s resolution!  The wonder of God is the antidote to boredom.  The human heart needs noble quests that ultimately satisfy and enrich the soul.  This quest is one worth pursuing, so, do it heartily!
The wonder of God begins with a pursuit of the knowledge of His Creative Acts.  In Genesis 1-2, we have an inspired, written record of those acts which we embrace by faith (Heb. 11:3).  This is none other than the pursuit of origins.  It is the pursuit of our own identity which is rooted in God’s creative acts.  It is the pursuit of God’s power, genius, and beauty.
The Power of God
“Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.  For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” (Ps. 33:8-9).  “And God said….”  Gen. 1:3.  The Word of God is powerful!  God spoke the universe into existence.  “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3).  God spoke the universe into existence out of nothing physical that existed before.  He created by divine fiat.  That is wonder working power!  That is omnipotence!
The Genius/Design of God
Ps. 139:14-16, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”  The human body produces wonder.  Here are some facts to consider:
-The largest bone in the human body is the femur.  It can support 30 times the weight of a person’s body.  Ounce for ounce, that’s stronger than steel.
-Messages from the human brain travel along nerves at up to 200 miles an hour.
-In an adult human, 25% of their bones are in the feet.
-A human’s ears and nose never stop growing.
-There are more bacteria in a human mouth than there are people in the world.
-A human’s little finger contributes over 50% of the hand’s strength.
-If a human’s DNA were uncoiled, it would stretch 10 billion miles, from Earth to Pluto and back.
-For an adult human, taking just one step uses up to 200 muscles.
-A human skeleton renews itself completely every 10 years.
-By the time of person reaches 70 years old, he or she will have consumed over 12,000 gallons of water.
-The body can detect taste in .0015 seconds, which is faster than the blink of an eye.
-Every hour, humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin, or about 1.5 pounds every year.  By the time a person is 70 years old, they will have lost about 105 pounds of skin.
Ps. 19:1-3, “The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”  Just consider the Astronomical Calendar for 2024 as an example of the display of God’s genius.  January 3-4, we began with the Quadrantis Meteor Showers.  January 12 is the best time to see Mercury because it is at its greatest Western Elongation.  February 20 is the best time to see Venus because it will be at its greatest Eastern Elongation.  Don’t forget to take in the New Moon and the Full Moon for every month.   March 25 will be a Prenumbral Lunar Eclipse (the moon passes through the earth’s penumbral shadow).  April 8 will bring a total Solar Eclipse.  April 22-23 will bring the Lyrics Meteor Showers with meteor surges up to 100 per hour.  May 6-7 will be the Eta Aquarius Meteor showers and May 14 will bring a total Lunar Eclipse and the moon will take on a reddish appearance.  June 20 is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year.  July 21 will be the Buck moon which coincides when Buck’s antlers are at full growth.  Also July 28-29 will bring the Aquaria Meteor showers with about 20 meteors per hour.  August 12-13 will bring the Perseus Meteor showers with about 60 meteors per hour.  September 18 will bring a Supermoon and on the 18th there will be a partial lunar eclipse.  September 22 will be the fall equinox and fall will begin in the Northern Hemisphere.  Oct. 17 will bring a supermoon.  Oct. 21-22 will bring the Orionids Meteor Shower which originates from Hally’s Comet (about 20 meteors per hour).  In November, you can see the Taurids meteor showers with a higher than usual percentage of fireballs and the Leonids Meteor showers which provide a glimpse of the most intense meteors in history.  December will bring the Geminid Meteor showers (13-14) with up to 120 colored meteors per hour.  The night sky is a light show beyond imagination and God’s genius and design is behind every astronomical phenomenon.
God’s design is seen in practically every aspect of the universe.  There is much to discover!  So, open your eyes, get excited about the process of discovery and enjoy God’s creation!
 The Beauty of God
In Genesis 1:31, the Bible declares that God gave His evaluation of the creation and pronounced it “very good.”  This pronouncement indicates that everything God created functioned exactly as God designed it.  All created species were actualizing the functions for which they were made, in relation to the totality of being: the consequence was, of course, harmony, order and peace.  The “heaven and the earth” were designed as a suitable habitat for man. Indeed, the world created by God was a “value of soul-making.”  In addition, to the created excellence of the design God brought into being, human beings were virtuous having been created morally perfect.  God’s initial creation was perfect.  This high excellence was part of the beauty of the created world which mirrored the beauty of God.   The Garden of Eden reflects this beauty.  The human form and design reflects this beauty.  The earth before the “curse” reflects this beauty.  Today, we still marvel at the beauty of the earth.  The Seven Natural Wonders of the World stand as a testament to his beauty.  The world atlas.com lists the following geographical areas as natural wonders:  Mount Everest (tallest peak on earth at 8,848.86 meters); Parcutin Volcano (a cinder volcano); The Grand Canyon (446 km long; 29 km wide and 1.8 km deep); Victoria Falls (the largest waterfall in the world, located in Southern Africa); The Harbor of Rio de Janeiro (the world’s largest natural harbor located in Brazil); the Great Barrier Reef (the largest coral reef located near Queensland, Australia) and the Northern Lights (a light show of dancing colors seen near the Arctic Circle).  Much more could be included.  Wonder is all around us!  God is at the center of all wonder.  When we consider His Creative Acts, we are filled with inquisitive awe in pursuit of an understanding of His magnificence!  Now, that’s the cure for boredom!!!