Wonder and Awe
“For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the work of your hands.” Psalm 92:4
While on a road trip with a friend last week he told me about a book by Leigh Ann Henion called Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer’s Search for Wonder in the Natural World. In this book Henion talks about the importance of wonder for our lives and how it can be found especially in nature. She chronicles her experiences of wonder visiting migrating monarchs, Hawaiian volcanoes, viewing the northern lights, while on an African safari, and observing a total eclipse of the sun. Learning about this book has made me think about some of the places where I have experienced wonder and its counterpart, worship, in nature. Space does not permit an exhaustive list but here are a few.
I have experienced wonder each time I have visited slot canyons in the desert southwest. When light from above is reflected on the sandstone rock walls the result is pure magic. Like Henion, I have also experienced wonder and awe observing the northern lights. Watching the curtains of light move across the Alaskan skies moved me to the depths of my soul. It was truly a spiritual experience. I have likewise experienced a deep sense of wonder in Alaska watching giant glaciers calve. The sights and sounds of this phenomenon inspire me in a remarkable way. I could say the same thing about walking amidst the giant sequoias and redwood trees of California.
I remember feeling wonder and awe the first time I looked up at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. There was something about those mountains that humbled me and made me feel small in more ways than one. I have also experienced a heightened sense of wonder each time I’ve visited the geyser basins in Yellowstone National Park. Watching geysers like Old Faithful, Giant, Grand, and Castle erupt thrill both my heart and soul. The same thing can be said for sunsets I’ve experienced in the Grand Canyon and sunrises on the coast of Maine.
Many times I have been moved to awe and wonder watching wildlife. It’s happened observing a whitetail fawn take its first steps and coastal brown bears snatching salmon midair at Katmai’s Brooks Falls. It’s happened while listening to sandhill cranes migrate overhead and while watching humpback whales frolic in the seas. Getting to see wolves and moose in the wild have likewise provoked wonder and awe.
Henion speaks about how the phenomena she experienced proved to be life-changing. The things I’ve mentioned have also been life-changing for me. In each instance I believe I have been able to catch a glimpse of the Divine. I see each example as a gift of God’s grace. I sincerely believe that it has been the Creator’s intention all along to show us God through the handiwork of Creation. Most of the examples I cited are big things but God is also revealed in the small for those with eyes to see. It might be a tiny delicate wildflower or the wings of a butterfly. It could even be something so simple and complex as a snowflake. The truth is, God may be found in all that God has made and when we truly see we cannot help but be moved by wonder and awe to worship. Wouldn’t you agree? What natural phenomena have moved you to wonder and awe?
–Chuck