December 31: Childlike Wonder
♫ Music:
Day 32—Wednesday, December 31
Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.
Mark 10:15-16
CHILDLIKE WONDER
On the eve of a new year, we often become introspective about God’s work in our lives over the year that has passed. A year can take its toll on our spirits; the complexity, challenges, joys, and inspiration of a year can age us in beautiful and difficult ways. The childlike reception of the kingdom of God that Jesus blessed, even demanded, in chapter 10 of Mark should prompt reflection on the wearied, burdened way we often approach Christ and His kingdom.
Look at the children in your life. My nephews are now eight and ten and I love the way they receive love, truth, and beauty. They open their hands easily, and can be tenaciously focused on a single thing they love for hours at a time. What if we received Christ and His kingdom in this way? G.K. Chesteron wrote, “children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony . . . It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” In the seemingly mundane moments of my life, I often reflect on this image. What would it look like for me to see these monotonous moments the way God does – ways that enable me to know Christ and make Him known to the world?
Amy Carmichael was a missionary who spent the majority of her life working in Bangalore, India with girls and women, some of whom were rescued from temple prostitution. Amy saw much darkness in this work and was bedridden for the last two decades of her life. She did not, despite this pain, let the years embitter her. Her faith and passion for Christ deepened, as evidenced by many writings and poems published late in life. One short refrain reveals the continued childlike wonder she maintained:
“How often, Lord, our grateful eyes
Have seen what Thou hast done,
How often does Thy love surprise
From dawn to set of sun.”
Father, may we end this year and begin the next with gratitude to see what you have done, and may we cultivate wonder for the ways the love of Christ will surprise us in the years to come. Help us not to grow old in ways that limit us from seeing anew your love and grace. Revive our hearts to overcome darkness, challenge injustice, and experience joy—until the sun sets on us.
Carrie Stockton, Dean of Student Success
Christ and His Mother Study the Scriptures
Henry Ossawa Tanner
1910
Dallas Museum of Art, Texas
Oil on canvas
About the Art and Artist
Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859 – 1937) was one of the first great African-American artists to gain international acclaim. The son of a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Tanner enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia in 1879. He moved to Paris in 1891 and decided to stay there, since he was readily accepted in French artistic circles and had paintings admitted to the Paris Salon. In 1897, Philadelphia department store magnate Rodman Wanamaker was so impressed by Tanner’s biblical imagery that he paid for Tanner to journey to the Holy Land. Inspired by what he had seen in Palestine, Tanner used soft, ethereal colors and brushstrokes to illustrate biblical scenes, including this portrait of an intimate scene between Mary and Jesus.
About the Music (Piece 1)
Children of the Heavenly Father Lyrics
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e'er was given
God, His own doth tend and nourish
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them
In His mighty arms He bears them
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord, His children sever
Unto them His grace He showeth
And their sorrows all He knoweth
Though He giveth or He taketh
God His children ne’er forsaketh
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them, pure and holy
Lo, their very hairs He numbers
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing
Praise the Lord in joyful numbers
Your Protector never slumbers
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foeman must surrender
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e'er was given
About the Performers
Evie Tornquist (b. 1957) is a contemporary Christian music singer whose career mainly took off in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Born in the United States to Norwegian immigrant parents, she began her singing career as a young teenager while visiting their homeland. She released her English language debut album at 16 in 1972, and went on to release more than 30 albums, including several in various Scandinavian languages. Evie received the Female Vocalist of the Year Dove Award for 1977 and 1978.
http://eviemusic.org/wordpress/
About the Music (Piece 2)
O Come Little Children Lyrics
O come little children, O come one and all
To Bethlehem haste, to the manger so small
God's son for a gift has been sent you this night
To be your redeemer, your joy and delight.
He's born in a stable for you and for me
Draw near by the bright gleaming starlight to see
In swaddling clothes lying so meek and so mild
And purer than angels the heavenly Child.
See Mary and Joseph, with love beaming eyes
Are gazing upon the rude bed where He lies
The shepherds are kneeling, with hearts full of love
While angels sing loud hallelujahs above.
Kneel down and adore Him with shepherds today
Lift up little hands now and praise Him as they
Rejoice that a Savior from sin you can boast
And join in the song of the heavenly host.
About the Performer
Cynthia Clawson (b. 1948) is a Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer. She has been called "the most awesome voice in gospel music" by Billboard Magazine, and has received five Dove Awards, 15 Dove Award nominations, and a Grammy for her work.
http://www.cynthiaclawson.com