Astounded and Amazed
Astounded and Amazed – these are the two words I heard in a prayer last Sunday. Those two words stirred my thoughts and memories from the past.
The face of innocence — why does it capture us so quickly? Yes, each time I looked into the faces of each of our four children as newborns, I was amazed and captured. Now they are all in their 50’s, my eyes capture theiradult-ness, but my heart carries a myriad of memories through a life time of growing and knowing.
I recently found a picture of our daughter, Anna, – with a face of innocence. When I see the photos of our children, I am astounded that they were ever so young and innocent. Each of their lives were filled with dreams and visions of the future, of growing up and being.
The secret of amazement is to capture that innocence in the midst of growing up? We experience so much that ten
ds to age and harden that soft innocence. In the bombardment of sound and the jangle of others’ ideas and desires for our lives, our innocence tends to fade.
The delight and wonder in life disappears unless we find a way to become as a little child and are astounded and amazed in the world around us.
Several synonyms of astound – astonish, confound, overwhelm, surprise. Boredom is the antithesis. Synonyms of amazed – astonish, stupefy, startle, perplex. So much for dictionary references, I believe these two words capture much more. The act of being astounded or amazed is a time that we see God in His Creation. The flowers, the colors, shapes or texture of the sunset or leaves, the brilliant stars in a velvet sky are amazing. The songs of the birds and evidences of love between people. That is when God’s thoughts confront us and we realize in part how important His Love is in our lives – it is the eternal portion.
How can we describe the love when a new mother holds her
baby, or the joy and celebration of the grandparents and the extended family on the arrival of a new child. When a family becomes love, it is when the group is stronger than each individual member.
Have you ever wondered why a vacation is more memorable when it brings us to interact with God’s created and His creations all around us? It is a way of bringing us face to face with God. It helps us to focus on the eternal. God brings us times of astonishment and amazement that stops us where we stand to see Him more clearly and more nearly.
E. E. Cummings said, “The earth laughs in flowers.” I pondered this quote, and thought how many times I have been astonished and amazed and wondered at the imagery in this quote. What is the genesis of laughter? Recently I received a bouquet of flowers – so unusual, I was astonished and amazed.
When Jesus taught during his ministry, there are five uses of the word astounded in the New Testament. Each time it was the result of his teaching or the miracles. Matthew 22:33 When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.
Jesus is the source of amazement and astonishment. There is so much we will never know now, but His Creation-Speak is enough for us now. It gives us the information that Jesus is Lord of all -He created us and our universe with all attention to a myriad of details. But more than that, He is the doorway to eternal life – if we choose to accept it.
February, the big snow came from his storehouse..(Job 38:22 – “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail)..and we are amazed and astonished at the depth of the snow.
Astounded and Amazed
I’m astounded and amazed At the price you paid
I’m astounded and amazed At the sacrifice you made.
I’m astounded and amazed That Jesus died for me
In all love and forgiveness His glory I will see.
Astounded and amazed Each moment of the day
How your blessings flow Astounded and amazed in every way
Praise and blessing I lay down at your feet
Ever astounded and amazed I bow at your mercy seat.
Astounded and amazed Your glory and grace
Lifts me up Until I see your face.
Astounded and Amazed because of Jesus!
Comment? eacombs@cox.net