Psalms 8:1 “O Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”
How many remember the song “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”? As a child, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, was one of my favorite songs.
(originated as a poem by Jane Taylor in 1806)
At Christmas time my elementary teachers would often ask the students to draw a picture for the school wall. During the Christmas program, when our parents would visit, the drawings would be there for everyone to see. Some drew snowmen, others Christmas trees , as well as families eating around a table, or Santa Claus, among other things. I️ aways seemed to draw the manger scene of Jesus at birth with a big bright star over it. For some reason, The Star of Jesus, the star shining over the manger scene with this baby Jesus under it was captivating to me. I loved illustrating the sky with lots of stars but one always had to shine brighter than another reflecting the star over Jesus. I️ never tired of such sketching.
Yes, I️ like to create. Today, I am considered an artist in different forms, but as a child I️ did not view myself that way. I didn’t even know Jesus as my personal Savior until I was eleven years old. My pictures have always been simple. As a child, even more, often expressing an overflow of what was in my heart.
I was being drawn to Jesus and my illustrations reflected the childlike faith Jesus often talks about. “Come unto me as children…” There was something magical, mystical, and wonderful about this particular picture to me. Although I didn’t quite understand what it all meant, I was fascinated by it.
MOVING TO PRESENT
Last Thanksgiving some of my children were with me in a store. This particular place had all kinds of different wooden plaques with various sayings and pictures painted on them. We, our daughter and her family and our son, were shopping together, hoping for some Christmas gifts to buy. I looked up on the wall and saw the song, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” imprinted on one of the show pieces. Floods of emotions welled up in me. I found myself lost in another time period because after a few minutes, as I turned to walk away, unknown to me, my son was now standing next to me. The wonder of all my childhood memories of my drawings and delight in stars came bubbling out of my mouth.
I️ love my son. At 28, he listens well and is very thoughtful. To me I was sharing and passing on a childhood story. End of story! But to him he wanted to know more. He asked, “Mom, do you still delight in stars now?” While it was not an open questionof the what, where, how, why, whom ,or when question. However, it was a powerful question to me because I️ know my son and his love for me. The way he asked, I knew he was entrusting his heart to me. It was a special moment. By wanting to know what my heart was saying in that moment, in connection to those memories, he was opening up his heart to understand me better. In other words, if asked as an “open” powerful question it might be asked. “Mom, what impact are those memories having on you today?”
The question took me off guard. It made me pause and think. All kinds of thoughts were going through my head. One, it was a great question. Two, no one ever asked me this question before. Three, I️ never thought about it. Four: How do I answer?
I️ struggled between the thoughts I️ had when I️ was a little girl. A pure innocent love of stars. The fascination of them all and how they drew me to them. They were bigger than me and pretty. The delight I had in those feelings as opposed to what I️ know today? How should I answer him? Should I be theologically correct? And so say, “No, I have moved beyond that to Jesus?
God says “Come unto me as little children…” I assume all my son wanted to know was yes or no and here I️ was trying to be all grown up and answer correctly. I️ had gotten so sophisticated with my thoughts, trying to answer with the perfect doctrine or truth, that the delight of that moment was lost.
16 But Jesus called the children to him and said,“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17.
My son wanted to delight with me in that moment. In bringing that memory forward for him to understand and experience with me I had forgotten that childhood delight. So my answer was “No, because I️ know who it points to, Jesus.” I gave the politically correct answer. My knowledge today wouldn’t let me enter that wonder of a child. Something seemed off in my answer. Had I lost an opportunity?
But as I️ thought later of his question…Why can’t I delight in the stars? Aren’t they God’s creation?
The stars as a child pointed me to God’s Love, pointing me to the only true God. God used them, to know there was a God, who is bigger than me and loves me enough to come down to earth, die for my sins on my behalf, and be raised from the dead in three days (Resurrected) so that I could have Eternal Life. How more Majestic can you get than “Jesus”? As I look at the stars today why can’t I still get amazed in wonder?
“O Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” Psalms 8:1
Due to the understanding I was gaining, I did not want to say, “Yes, I️ delight in stars” to my son because I thought it might bring more praise to Stars than Jesus? Of course it depends on ones heart. But for me, for some reason, I️ had not given myself permission to wonder at those stars because of the comprehension I know today. I had lost the wonder of it all. I️ had lost that delight now, keeping it only, as a safe childhood memory. My son’s question helped bring the two worlds together and delight again afresh. “Come unto me as children…”
Sometimes as we gain knowledge, we have the danger of losing the delight of God, Himself. That joy and wonder God gave me as a child should still be demonstrated today in praise to who God is!
I also remember Paul Tripp, a well known author saying something like this, “We have lost showing our teenagers the beauty and the wonder of our God, no surprise they are not sure they want our Jesus.” They often see our Jesus as a set of do’s and don’t’s.
Thank you Shane for taking time to ask. Look forward to many more “Wonder”-ful moments together.
What are you thinking after reading my story?
Personal Reflections: What are a few of your childhood wonders? How would you answer your child(ren) about your childhood memories? ”Take time to read, reflect and pray back in praise to God after looking at a few Bible verses on the “Wonder of God: Psalm 8, Deuteronomy 10:21;Psalm 119:129; Psalm 136:4; Psalm 139:6; Psalm 139:14; Isaiah 25:1; Isaiah 28:29. I would love to hear your comments in the section “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
From One Pilgrim to another together on the journey,
”Consider how you may spur one another on towards love and good deeds….. encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
“ Intentionally journaling alongside of women in order to encourage them to see God in their story, moving them closer to Jesus, and to discover their place in God’s Kingdom”
