Read: Isaiah 9:1-7
And his name shall be called Wonderful . . . (v. 6)
“That’s wonderful!” we might say, meaning simply that something is great or remarkable. But the English word wonderful contains other meanings. Something wonderful might be full of wonder, evoking in us a sense of awe. It might also be something that causes us to wonder, to reflect, or to question. The Hebrew word translated here as wonderful means something like an act of wonder or a miracle.
Long before Jesus’s birth, Isaiah told his fellow Israelites that the coming Messiah would mean “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isa. 9:2). An unusual child was coming to bring light in the darkness. What wondering questions this prophecy must have sparked in those who first heard it. What wonder and awe must the baby Jesus have inspired in the hearts of those who first met him. What a wondrous miracle that God has laid the governance of the whole world on the shoulders of this tiny child. What wonderful joy Jesus still has in store for all who trust in him.
In the northern part of the world, December is a dark time of year that we often greet with twinkling lights. When we pause in awe and wonder at the sight of a lit Christmas tree or window display, will we also choose to make space in our hearts to wonder at the great light of the Wonderful One who still shines in our darkness?
As you pray, ask God to give you a sense of wonder this Advent season.
About the Author
Sarah Sanderson is the author of The Place We Make: Breaking the Legacy of Legalized Hate. She lives with her husband and their four teenage children in Oregon.
