“Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.”

God’s works are truly wondrous. With today’s busy lives and our overbooked schedules how often do we take the time to consider the impact of that verse?

We read of the many wonders that God has performed for his people, the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, our salvation, creation itself, and on and on we could go.

The Bible is replete with examples of his wonders, but how often do we step back from the hustle and bustle of this modern world? Be still and consider the awesome wonders in the things we can see and experience every day in the world around us. Let your imaginations run; ponder the impact and the depth of His wonders.

Kathy and I have been blessed with a home in the country away from the hectic pace of the city; in our little village we don’t allow rush hour and we take the time to greet our neighbors when we pass. On a clear night we have the opportunity to gaze up into the heavens and it’s truly amazing. The cities have taken away the night; there are street lights and traffic lights and store lights and house lights to the point where many seldom see the stars anymore. I know that even in the city you can look up and see a few stars on a clear night but nothing like what you can see when you get away from the city lights. The difference is breathtaking – truly a wonder to behold.

Consider the complexities and intricate interrelationships between every living thing on this planet, like the butterfly effect that suggests that a butterfly flapping its wings in Asia could cause a tornado in Kansas. His wonders range from the elegant simplicity of a single celled organism to the extraordinary complexity found in the eye of a honey bee. Who can begin to understand it? While our finite minds cannot comprehend it, we can and we should occasionally stand in awe and consider his great works.

I would encourage everyone to make an effort to set aside just a few minutes each week for some quiet time… serious… quiet… time… away from the distractions of this world, to be alone, just you and your God – just a few minutes to step back, ponder the moment, open or close your eyes as the case may be, be still, and consider just one of the many wondrous works of our God and on occasion remember the most wondrous work of all: that not only does God almighty regard us, but that we are the apple of His eye. This is truly a miracle.

James Wood

12 March 2006