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I have a part-time job where I give historic tours of Cologne, Germany to the people on cruise ships that pass through and stop in the city as they travel the Rhine River. It has paid for my language school, given me great opportunities to share Jesus with my coworkers, and honestly just been something fun to do on the side. That means that I have seen Cologne Cathedral more times than I can count. It is the third tallest church in the world, and it is absolutely magnificent. But after seeing it enough times, it's easy to lose the awe and wonder I had the first time I set my eyes on it.
My guests that I give tours to remind me to be in awe when I hear their gasps and wows when we reach the top of that staircase and they get their first up-close look at it. Similarly, my sweet husband and I visited a historic country villa near our house a few weeks ago. It is absolutely stunning, but at first, I found myself being less in awe than I used to be when visiting places in Europe like this.
I have always admired people who lived with a sense of wonder. They always seemed happier and enjoyed life more when they chose to see the beauty of what was around them, even if they had seen it a million times. After a while, all the castles and palaces and cathedrals around Europe all start to look the same. You see them so often that you can start to lose your sense of wonder. But I don't want to do that. I don't want to grow calloused to beauty of any kind.
I always admired my college professor who would still weep over the Gospel, even though he had obviously heard and shared it countless times. It didn't matter how many times he had heard it, shared it, studied it, taught it, read it – it was still just as astonishing and beautiful to him as the first time he heard it. As he would bring up and talk about the Gospel in class, he would be moved to tears every single time, without fail. Admittedly, I can get so used to hearing and sharing the Gospel that it begins to become like muscle memory in my mouth. I say the words, and I genuinely believe them, but my heart may begin to drift toward normalcy and away from awe.
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"
(Romans 11:33)
This verse encourages me to stand in awe of the Lord our God. As Paul writes to the depth of His riches, I am encouraged that there is always something new to praise God for. And the things I've praised Him for in the past are still worthy of me praising Him for today!
How do we keep this sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of the Gospel? I pray that the Lord allows me to see the beauty of it anew each day. Let me be thankful, Lord, for what it means to my life today. Not just yesterday or last week, but today. I take note of the implications, the love, the stakes. Then I can have a sense of wonder that brings joy every day. I don't become calloused to the beauty of the Gospel by reflecting on it often. I consider what my life would look like now had Jesus not entered into my story. It makes me overwhelmed with gratitude.
I've been told that if you want to really love something, then study it. Want to love coffee? Visit a coffee farm and a roaster and see what all goes into its production. Learn about the different ways to make a perfect cup. Want to learn to love your spouse more? Study them. Listen and see what makes them happy and sad and pay attention to the details of how their face changes when they smile.
As I explore all the castles and palaces and cathedrals around me, I now try to really study them as I look around. What makes them unique? What craftsmanship do I think this intricate door or delicate stained glass required to create? As I study them, I appreciate them more.
As I stay in God's Word and seek His face, I stand in awe of who He is and what He has done anew each and every day.
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