{"id":31206,"date":"2022-12-15T19:12:05","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T00:12:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=31206"},"modified":"2022-12-15T19:49:17","modified_gmt":"2022-12-16T00:49:17","slug":"worship-wednesday-the-wonder-of-god-so-will-i-hillsong-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=31206","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday &#8211; The Wonder of God &#8211; &#8220;So Will I&#8221; &#8211; Hillsong Worship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"482\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1024x482.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1024x482.png 1024w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-300x141.png 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-768x362.png 768w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image.png 1391w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">[Adapted from the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=22199\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=22199\" target=\"_blank\">Archives<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Photo Credit: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.crcc.org\/messages\/worship-and-wonder\/\" target=\"_blank\">Cedar Ridge Community Church<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christmas time is full of wonder&#8230;of a mystery of Jesus&#8217; coming, not just as a man but, as a baby. God drawing near to us, in love and long-suffering. Immanuel &#8211; God with us. What a wonder!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several years ago, I spoke at a homeschooling conference on the role we as parents have in modeling wonder and training worship. Our children are born with this huge sense of wonder, and then as the years go by, it can be dampened by the harder things (or people) in our lives. However, we, as adults, can model our own grown-up wonder. What follows, then, as we remind our children the source of the wonder\u2026is worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In preparing for the conference, I was reminded of the apostle Peter\u2019s exclamation below&#8230;his own wonder at a question Jesus asked. At that time in Jesus\u2019 ministry on earth, some of his followers fell away. He then asked his closest followers if they would leave him (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/biblehub.com\/john\/6-67.htm\" target=\"_blank\">John 6:67-69<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cLord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u00a0Where would we go? There\u2019s nowhere\u2026no one\u2026like the Lord. The Creator and Sustainer of this beautiful world\u2026<br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWhen I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place\u2014 <strong>What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? <\/strong>You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings; You crowned him with glory and honor.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+8%3A3-5&amp;version=HCSB\" target=\"_blank\">Psalm 8:3-5<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cEven the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You. For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother\u2019s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.\u201d<\/em> \u2013<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Psalm+139&amp;version=CSB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Psalm 139:12-14<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cSo if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest? <strong>Consider how the lilies grow<\/strong>: they do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, <strong>not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.<\/strong> If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith!\u201d<\/em> \u2013 <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Luke%2012:26-28&amp;version=CSB\" target=\"_blank\">Luke 12:26-28<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In thinking of how, as parents, we might <a href=\"http:\/\/rainorshinemamma.com\/why-we-must-protect-and-nurture-our-childrens-sense-of-wonder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">protect and nurture our children\u2019s sense of wonder<\/a>, we rouse up our own sense of wonder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/rainorshinemamma.com\/why-we-must-protect-and-nurture-our-childrens-sense-of-wonder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Why We Must Protect and Nurture Our Children\u2019s Sense of Wonder<\/em> \u2013 Linda Akeson McGurk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cA child\u2019s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement\u2026I should ask that [a] gift to each child in the world be <strong>a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life<\/strong>. <strong>If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it<\/strong>, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/new.homeschoolmarketplace.com\/homeschool-wonder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rachel Carson, <\/a><em>The Sense of Wonder<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>What happens to our wonder? How do we pass it along, or keep it flourishing in our kiddos?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s helpful to spend a bit of time in reflection on some of what causes us to wonder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Babies. Full-stop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cracking open a perfectly ripe watermelon \u2013 the color, how it smells, how it tastes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flowers coming from the tiniest of seeds (Dave has gardened in 4 different countries \u2013 pots on balconies when necessary).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The sky, night or day, and the vastness of space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The water lines on the mountains of the Sinai Desert \u2013 no other way they could get there but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/science-nature\/evidence-for-a-flood-102813115\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a world-wide flood<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forgiveness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The wonder of sleep \u2013 lights out &amp; alone with our thoughts &amp; God; also sleep interrupted from anxiety but then the wonder of waking in the morning after miraculously falling back to sleep.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>God\u2019s answering Mom\u2019s prayer \u2013 preferring for Him to be glorified in her cancer more than being healed from it, this side of Heaven.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The wonder of a virgin birth, of obedience even in death, of a resurrection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>the wonder of<\/strong> <strong>loving<\/strong> <strong>God &#8211; and that we are heard, known, understood, and forever received\u2026by Him.<br><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;Does the resurrection mean anything for your life now? Oh my, yes. [Because Jesus is the one bringing the kingdom of God &#8211; &#8220;shalom &#8211; complete healing of all the relationships in creation. We will be reconciled to God; to nature; to one another; and to ourselves&#8230;This broken world is not the only world we&#8217;re ever going to have&#8230;In the resurrection life we will dance perfectly, know perfect love, full satisfaction. The joy of your glory will be that much greater for every scar you bear&#8221;.<\/em> &#8211; <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/timothykeller.com\/books\/jesus-the-king\" target=\"_blank\">Timothy Keller, <em>Jesus the King<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we aren\u2019t careful we falter in our wonder because of the seeming weight of our responsibilities or the distraction of our differences one with another. God never meant it to be this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIn a world full of pragmatic \u2018older brothers\u2019 it is easy, even in church, to forget the love that wants to stream between us. Instead <strong>we allow our heads and backs to bend under the weight of all that needs to be put right.<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pathwaystogod.org\/resources\/ignatian-insight\/nurture-sense-wonder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teresa McCaffery<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor\u2019s glory should be laid daily on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken.<\/em><em> It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.<strong> All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> \u2013&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/quotes\/432849-it-may-be-possible-for-each-to-think-too-much\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">C. S. Lewis<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is just a taste of the wonder we will know in Heaven&#8230;and what is our response to the wonder that surrounds us\u2026the marvel of God Himself reflected in this world\u2026and in His image-bearers? Gratefulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1.png 800w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-1-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Photo Credit: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodfreephotos.com\/astrophotography\/blue-night-sky-with-stars-in-the-dark.jpg.php\" target=\"_blank\">Alan Chen, Good Free Photos<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Gratefulness flows out of wonder and moves us to worship. We parents model wonder for our children &amp; train them to turn their hearts in worship toward God&#8230;at Christmas and every &#8220;ordinary&#8221; day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GfVd5x9W1Xc\" target=\"_blank\">Worship<\/a> with me in wonder as these days unfold toward Christmas &#8211; to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/hillsong.com\/worship\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hillsong Worship<\/a>\u2018s <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.christiantoday.com\/article\/hillsongs-joel-houston-clarifies-views-on-evolution-after-so-will-i-lyrics-spark-debate\/129864.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><em>So Will I<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>God of creation<\/em><br><em>There at the start<\/em><br><em>Before the beginning of time<\/em><br><em>With no point of reference<\/em><br><em>You spoke to the dark<\/em><br><em>And fleshed out the wonder of light<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>And as You speak<\/em><br><em>A hundred billion galaxies are born<\/em><br><em>In the vapor of Your breath the planets form<\/em><br><em>If the stars were made to worship so will I<\/em><br><em>I can see Your heart in everything You\u2019ve made<\/em><br><em>Every burning star<\/em><br><em>A signal fire of grace<\/em><br><em>If creation sings Your praises so will I<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>God of Your promise<\/em><br><em>You don\u2019t speak in vain<\/em><br><em>No syllable empty or void<\/em><br><em>For once You have spoken<\/em><br><em>All nature and science<\/em><br><em>Follow the sound of Your voice<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>And as You speak<\/em><br><em>A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath<\/em><br><em>Evolving in pursuit of what You said<\/em><br><em>If it all reveals Your nature so will I<\/em><br><em>I can see Your heart in everything You say<\/em><br><em>Every painted sky<\/em><br><em>A canvas of Your grace<\/em><br><em>If creation still obeys You so will I<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If the stars were made to worship so will I<\/em><br><em>If the mountains bow in reverence so will I<\/em><br><em>If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I<\/em><br><em>For if everything exists to lift You high so will I<\/em><br><em>If the wind goes where You send it so will I<\/em><br><em>If the rocks cry out in silence so will I<\/em><br><em>If the sum of all our praises still falls shy<\/em><br><em>Then we\u2019ll sing again a hundred billion times<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>God of salvation<\/em><br><em>You chased down my heart<\/em><br><em>Through all of my failure and pride<\/em><br><em>On a hill You created<\/em><br><em>The light of the world<\/em><br><em>Abandoned in darkness to die<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>And as You speak<\/em><br><em>A hundred billion failures disappear<\/em><br><em>Where You lost Your life so I could find it here<\/em><br><em>If You left the grave behind You so will I<\/em><br><em>I can see Your heart in everything You\u2019ve done<\/em><br><em>Every part designed in a work of art called love<\/em><br><em>If You gladly chose surrender so will I<\/em><br><em>I can see Your heart<\/em><br><em>Eight billion different ways<\/em><br><em>Every precious one<\/em><br><em>A child You died to save<\/em><br><em>If You gave Your life to love them so will I<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Like You would again a hundred billion times<\/em><br><em>But what measure could amount to Your desire<\/em><br><em>You\u2019re the One who never leaves the one behind<\/em>*<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cLord, what a world you\u2019ve given us! Our senses are full of the wonder of Your creation. Even more than that, the wonder of You. How You love us is beyond our understanding or comprehension. Your provision for our lives\u2026the people You have brought close to love and to be loved by. The work You have given us\u2026we are so privileged. Life eternal and abundant that we have both here and in the Hereafter. We are amazed, Oh God. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.<\/strong>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>*<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/hillsong.com\/lyrics\/so-will-i-100-billion-x\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lyrics to <em>So Will I<\/em> \u2013 Songwriters: Joel Houston Benjamin Hastings &amp; Michael Fatkin<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=m_jgODdrPEE\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=m_jgODdrPEE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube Video &#8211; <em>(Star of Wonder) We Three Kings<\/em> by The Roches<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=18761\" target=\"_blank\"><em>5 Friday Faves \u2013 Fortnite Revisited on Classical Guitar, Spring Rain, Habits of Love, Andy Crouch on Shame, and <strong>Wonder<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Deb Mills Writer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Wonder As I Wander - Epic Version!\" width=\"474\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zF3zb4Hbmhk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Father, thank You for sending Jesus,<\/em><br><em>our rescuer, redeemer, and hope.<\/em><br><em>Fill my mind with wonder and awe<\/em><br><em>at the deep truths of Christmas.<\/em><br><em>Help me to celebrate and share the<\/em><br><em>good news of Your grace with others<\/em><br><em>whom you bring across my path.<\/em> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cslewisinstitute.org\/christmas-carol-i-wonder-as-i-wander\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.cslewisinstitute.org\/christmas-carol-i-wonder-as-i-wander\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">C. S. Lewis Institute, Advent Prayer<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photo Credit: Cedar Ridge Community Church Christmas time is full of wonder&#8230;of a mystery of Jesus&#8217; coming, not just as a man but, as a baby. God drawing near to us, in love and long-suffering. Immanuel &#8211; God with us. What a wonder! Several years ago, I spoke at a homeschooling conference on the role &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=31206\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Worship Wednesday &#8211; The Wonder of God &#8211; &#8220;So Will I&#8221; &#8211; Hillsong Worship<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[810,926,690,1229,34,813,5253,1277,50,1435,825,18,263,795,432,1456,1002,32,47,946],"tags":[37,224,1836,3980,1835,7145,1197,6081,7144,7142,7143,2323,1639,49,360],"class_list":["post-31206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-good-gifts","category-attending-or-focus","category-babies-children","category-beauty-of-gods-creation","category-books","category-christmas","category-forgiveness","category-glory-of-god","category-god","category-growing-up","category-holidays","category-jesus","category-lives-full-of-god","category-love-2","category-music","category-steadfast-love","category-transformational","category-walk-with-god","category-wednesday-worship","category-worship","tag-c-s-lewis","tag-creation","tag-god","tag-hillson","tag-jesus","tag-linda-akeson-mcgurk","tag-peter","tag-rachel-carson","tag-sense-of-wonder","tag-so-will-i","tag-teresa-mccaffery","tag-tim-keller","tag-wonder","tag-worship","tag-worship-wednesday"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauPAB-87k","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31206"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31214,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31206\/revisions\/31214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}