Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder…

I was sitting on a train and watched a young family interacting on the journey.  A young mother and father and their infant daughter were going on a trip.  The little child was strapped in a stroller and clearly was in the beginning phases of learning language.  She called for a “nana” which I interpreted was a banana. The mother had to deny her daughter the fruit as the train has a strict no eating policy on board.  After a little cry the girl started to sing, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.” I recognized the song even though the words were indistinct and the tune was barely perceptible.  I closed my eyes and imagined this mother holding her daughter and singing this song while pointing to all the stars in the sky above.  Little children are in a world of wonder and discovery. Little children readily trust in a Heavenly Father. But many children sadly have God taught out of them by parents who have lost their own childlike wonder.

Today’s Christian mindfulness skill – is about rediscovering childlike wonder.

Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Luke 18:15-17

I can relate to the disciples in this verse from the gospel of Luke.  They were aware of the many people who wanted an audience with Jesus. They were sure that Jesus had more important work to do such as healing the sick and teaching more about God’s kingdom.  So when some little children pushed through the crowd to come near the seated Jesus- they took action.  “Go back to your parents, little children. Can’t you see Jesus is tired? Jesus needs to rest before he does more healing and teaching.”

I can see myself being like the disciples to send the children away.  But Jesus tells the disciples to let the children come. Then Jesus blesses the children.  I think Jesus recognized the childlike wonder in children when he said that the Kingdom of God belongs to children and that to enter it you had to become like a child.  I  needed to hear these words- life had robbed me of childlike wonder and I had become too serious about all the adult responsibilities of life.

There was another time when Jesus defended the children. It was when Jesus came on a donkey riding triumphant into Jerusalem just a few days before the Passover.  The crowds were cheering and waving palm fronds.  Jesus made his way to the temple and there he did something which seemed quite angry and spirited. He chased away all the people selling animals, and changing money in the temple courts, then he started to heal the blind and the lame again. Into this picture, some children were still cheering for Jesus – Hosanna son of David they cried.  But the chief priests and scribes were indignant and asked Jesus to tell them to be quiet.  Jesus defended the children as giving “perfect praise.”  Matthew 21:12-16

Have you come to a place of the drudgery of life–work- paying bills- laundry – shopping-cooking- cleaning- taking care of family and pets- and in the middle of this busy life, childlike wonder seems a distant dream.  One day while in a sad moment, I remember hearing God speak to me about switching childlike wonder back on.  I tried to remember when it had been switched off.

I remember the childlike wonder of exploring new places.  We moved a lot in my childhood so it was a frequent occurrence- exploring a new neighbourhood.  I remember the childlike wonder of discovering guppies in a local pond and spending hours trying to catch a few to populate a pickle jar aquarium. I remember all the tree houses my brothers and I tried to make- some failed spectacularly – others were amazing but twinged with the adrenaline of being quite high up and somewhat dangerously closer to power lines. We spent days on each new tree house only coming in when called for dinner.

I remember the childlike wonder of looking up into space through my brother’s telescope which he had bought for a few dollars.  Seeing the moon and its craters and then finding Saturn and seeing all the rings, just like in the books. We could look up for hours and find amazing things which reinforced the sense of wonder.  God made us to wonder at the mysteries of life.  Some things are not answered in the bible.  Why this moment and this time that God became real to me?  Why not someone else – they heard the same things but turned away?   Why did God bless me with seeing something that others didn’t see? I really don’t have an answer. I am not any different to other people. Yet I am grateful to hearing God and seeing His presence in the everyday. Suddenly I am in a daily treasure hunt for the next thing that God is showing me. God really has  awakened wonder.  Each day God reveals a bit more of Himself and His amazing creation to me.

Can I encourage you to start being curious about the incidents of life where there isn’t a ready explanation. Look beyond the things which seem to be mundane and ask God to show Himself to you. Have an expectancy of God showing up. Could God be showing you something even in the chores of life? Childlike wonder starts with the thought that God is speaking all of the time- through words, through people, through incidents and even through nature.  Start seeing the everyday miracles which God gives us and then share them with your children or write them down to remember. Then really remember them- pass them on and see if you can awaken childlike wonder in the people in your life.

This week I asked my brother to bring his telescope to the youth group.  It was the same telescope that we looked through as teenagers.  We introduced the youth group to some of the same wonder we had so many years ago.

Psalm 78

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,

7     so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;

May we never lose our wonder..