Marvelous, Wondrous Things

Marvelous, Wondrous Things

The world is full of marvelous, wondrous things—things I could never figure out on my own. I’ve encountered these marvels since childhood, and I imagine I’ll go right on encountering them until I die. Bread rising. Words of poetry or praise forming in my brain among the formulas and passwords that I store there for everyday, ordinary use. One writer calls such wonders “quotidian mysteries,” and they are. Some of these commonplace happenings may be discovered by chance, but many—maybe most—are taught.

I was taught that in water too deep to wade through, I can float or swim. Taught that long shoelaces can be tugged and arranged in a way that holds my shoes firmly on my feet. Taught that the alphabet can morph into words, and words into sentences, and sentences into stories that can take your breath away. Through teachers I have come face-to-face with marvelous things I was once quite ignorant of.

Some of my teachers knew what they were up to. Others had no idea they were teaching me at all. Mrs. Johnson (my kindergarten teacher) knew that “Run, Spot, run” would eventually make a reader out of me. Mrs. Youens knew how to coax a writer out of that shy reader. Mrs. Shumate knew she was teaching her third-grade Sunday school charges to love Jesus and live right—but she couldn’t have known which of us would. A boy named Michael taught me how to share my heart, and a man named John taught me broken hearts do mend. I am absolutely certain I would have learned none of those things on my own. For these (and a thousand other wonders) I needed an instructor.

Some of these instructors remain. Many are gone. But I have one teacher who never leaves me. God the Holy Spirit teaches me every day. Which way to go. What words to say. Where to look so I won’t miss a single thing he means for me to see. Through him, the school bell rings each precious day and mysteries abound.

This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: “Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.”

Jeremiah 33:2-3, MSG