Filled with wonder, he knelt in the weeds and said, "Thank you, Jesus! Oh, Mama, the sunset's so bootiful!" As the toddler worshiped God for the sky's beauty, his mom knelt beside him and joined in.
How can you stir up this kind of wonder in your kids? And how can you gently lead them from the natural wonder they experience at things in the world around them to a sense of worship for the Giver of all these good things?
It all starts with our response to God's world around us.
Has your child ever called you outside to see something he's amazed at, yelling, "Mom! Dad! You gotta see this weird bug" or "Come see this big dark cloud"?
When we share in these moments and point kids to the Creator who made the great things they're seeing, we're helping them experience an important aspect of prayer—praising our God. But when we don't stop our busyness to share the wonder, we miss an opportunity to guide them from wonder to worship.
Here are some ways to regain your sense of awe and lead your kids from their natural wonder to recognizing and thanking the God who's behind all the wonders—and to help revive wonder in an older child if he's grown "ho-hum" about the world around him:
Say Plenty Of "Wow!" Prayers.
"Wow!" prayers are the way we say to God, "This thing I just saw or felt or smelled is terrific, beautiful or wonderful. I'm saying this prayer so you know that I know you had something to do with this!"
There's a lot of "Wow!" in heaven and earth all around us if we stop to notice.
Give God The Credit.
You can take advantage of opportunities when your child is astonished by something—the Big Dipper on a clear night, a garden of fragrant smelling honeysuckle, or waves crashing against the shore at the beach. Slow down, look, listen and give God credit for His creation.
For example, "Isn't God good to make those stars!" or "God made the honeysuckle for you to smell and enjoy. God's so good to give us little blessings like this to brighten our day."
Go Camping.
Whether it's in a state park or even in the backyard, camping offers chances to revel in outdoor wonders while you have fun as a family.
You can take advantage of teachable moments, like when the wind rustles the leaves, to share that even the leaves praise God. The seasons and weather cycles, animals, or variety of flowers and trees—all these offer chances to talk about how God's creation expresses His love and goodness.
Enjoy The Wonders Of God's Word.
Charles Spurgeon once said that there are mysteries and treasures in Scripture which we haven't fully seen, that the Bible is a wonder-land of marvels, not only relating miracles but in itself a world of wonders.
Read God's word with expectation, praying with the psalmist, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Ps. 119:18).
Finally, look for the miraculous in everyday life: the miracle of a sunrise, the tiny, perfectly formed hands of a new baby, the vibrant colors of a rainbow.
Whatever simple pleasure you find in nature or in the sights, smells, tastes and colors around you, let your heart leap up and enjoy it, thanking God together with your kids for His kindness in letting you experience it and for the very gift of life.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.