Restore the Wonder

“You literally say that every time we drive here,” my husband tells me. He’s right. I can’t help myself. Even when I anticipate this moment and make a mental note to keep my thoughts to myself, my awe spills out of my mouth like popping corn on a hot stove, completely uncontainable. 

“Wow,” I whisper. “Is there any view more beautiful than this one?” As we crest the last foothill on our drive out of the city of Calgary, Alberta, and head west toward the Rocky Mountains of Banff, the horizon gleams with a glorious display of color—the greens and golds of the fields, the blues and purples of the majestic mountain peaks, and the pinks and oranges of the sunrise. This spectacular view looks the same yet different every time, depending on the weather and the time of day. No matter what, it moves me to worship. 

Houseguests often asked me if I ever got bored of the view when we lived in the Bow Valley, surrounded by those towering, rocky summits. They thought I might become immune to the splendor of the setting, but I didn’t. How could anyone overlook the magnificence of this place? To me, it’s unthinkable, impossible. 

Have you ever arrived at a destination you visit frequently and realized you drove there on autopilot, barely noticing your surroundings? They say familiarity breeds contempt. The idea is that we can become careless about people or situations we know well. This is sometimes true of our appreciation for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we hear the gospel in church every week and read about it continually as we plod through our yearly Bible reading plan, we sometimes lose the wonder of it. We forget the magnitude of what Christ has done for us and skim the passages about his death and resurrection, reading on autopilot, relieved when we get to the end of the chapter or book as though we’ve finally arrived at our destination. 

As I study through the New Testament this year, I’m praying with David in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” When I read the accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection, I want to meditate on the miracle of it. When I read the truth of the gospel and all its implications in books like Romans and Ephesians, I want my heart to stir up with praise and gratitude for all the riches available to us in Christ Jesus.

Keeping a sense of wonder about the gospel requires humility. I must remember who I am without Christ—a sinner without hope and destined for an eternity in hell. By the grace of Christ alone, through faith, I live and move and have my being (Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 17:28). 

Have you marveled at the gift of God’s grace, forgiveness, and salvation today? Pick up a Bible and read a passage to remind you of the wonder of the gospel. Here are five passages to inspire you:

• Psalm 8
• John 14–15
• Romans 5
• Ephesians 1
• Revelation 5

Consider meditating on one of the above passages each day for five days or one passage a week for five weeks to develop a “habit of wonder.” Take some time to pray, asking God to restore to you the joy of his gift of salvation. Then praise him for it.