I just finished reading The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. My favorite chapter is the one in which Aslan, who represents Christ, creates the magical land of Narnia by singing it into existence. As his song changes, different things are created. The main characters watch and listen, spellbound, as Narnia begins to take shape and form. There is a reverent sense of wonder and awe at everything that springs into being – from stars and waterfalls to flowers and animals.
This got me to thinking about our own world in which we live. I wonder why it seems so difficult for us to find that same sense of awe, wonder, and mystery that C.S. Lewis so poignantly portrays in his story. Sometimes our world seems so . . . mundane . . . boring. I think a major contributing factor is that we have lost our sense of mystery. So often we view mysteries as merely problems to be solved. Once we solve one mystery we immediately look for another one to tackle. We move from one mystery to another, chalking up imaginary victories with each mystery that we solve.
Why do we do this? Why does this seem to be our default setting? Rather than trying to solve every mystery that we encounter, why not simply enjoy them? Could it be that God has created some mysteries for us to enjoy and not necessarily to solve? Isn’t God the greatest mystery of them all?
I believe that God wants us to recapture the sense of awe and mystery in His creation. He wants to capture your heart with a sunset or take your breath away with a starry night. He wants your heart to soar when you view a spectacular mountain vista. Let’s regain that sense of mystery and wonder. It is in those moments that we get the clearest pictures of God Himself.
