Wonderful
Scripture Reading — Psalm 145
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
—Psalm 145:5
Sometimes labels become meaningless. In an age of marketing, everything is fantastic and marvelous. So to hear that the Christ of Christmas is “Wonderful” might not impress us.
When was the last time you stopped to look at something and marveled like a wide-eyed child? We are usually too busy to wonder. In fact, we often use the word in a negative sense: “I wonder about that person.”
But Jesus truly is wonderful. This is not just a description; it’s his essence: Wonderful. And throughout the Christmas story all the characters are filled with wonder: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi, and many others.
Jesus is wonderful in who he is—eternal God come into the world, fully God and fully human. He is wonderful in his ac-tions—holy God redeeming his sinful creation. And he brings wonder to our lives as he frees us from our slavery to sin and transforms us to be like him.
True wonder has substance. It is not a brief amusement or shallow emotion. It makes an impact on us, filling us with humility, awe, and worship.
In this busy season we need to stop and reflect on who Jesus is and what he has done for us. This is no marketing spin; it is God’s declaration of truth. Let us bow in wonder and worship.
Glorious Savior, help us to ponder your greatness and marvel at your redeeming work. Fill us with humility, awe, and wonder. Amen.
About the author — Calvin Aardsma
Calvin Aardsma has been a pastor for more than thirty years. He has served churches in Indiana, Oregon, and the Chicago area. Currently, he is a pastor of Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Lansing, Illinois. He also serves on the board of the Ugandan Orphanage Relief Fund. Cal and his wife, Sandy, have four children and five grandchildren.
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