What a Wonderful World
I love the song by Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World.” It reminds me of all the beauty that is to be found in life and how easily we can overlook it.
I absolutely enjoy watching people. As I sit here typing this post, I am singing the song “What a Wonderful World” out loud. Over the last month, I have spoken about finding beauty in life and how God makes everything beautiful in its time. Now, I want to take a moment and reflect on what makes such a broken world wonderful.
The word wonder can be an adjective, noun, or verb, and it comes from the Old English word “wundor.” It is a diverse word many people use in different ways, but it takes wings and flies when you add the suffix “ful.” It takes what was “a cause of astonishment or admiration” and turns it into something to behold, something to slow down and grasp its magnificence or splendor.
This is the world we live in, a wonderful world. Have you ever stopped to ponder the world around you? Have you taken time to pause and smell the proverbial or literal roses? I haven’t. Well, at least, not enough. For too long, I’ve been caught up in the grind of life (yeah, I meant to say it like that), caught up in hustle culture. Well, that was until last November when I was running on fumes, ready to crash. I received an opportunity to attend the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) annual conference in Charlotte, N.C. A gracious well-timed gift that came at the hands of a local church through Pastor Keith.
During this conference, which focused on “Wellbeing.” I had to face the reality that I was “not well,” their words, not mine. I learned why I was unwell, but I also discovered that I wasn’t the only person that was not well. I saw how almost three years of collective trauma, i.e., racism and covid-19, had worn down so many people—especially those on the frontlines in communities fighting for justice, righteousness, and truth.
For me? My plate was too full. My life crowded with the cares of the world. My soul and spirit were dry— consumed with anxiety and fear. My mind needed refreshing. My heart needed to lay down its heavy burdens. My soul needed restoration. My body required rest. I needed rescuing. Thankfully, I was reminded at the conference that vacations don’t refresh or restore us. Only Jesus could provide the things that I so desperately needed.
During a one-on-one prayer session, I encountered the love of Jesus for me in a fresh way. Reminding me that Jesus loves me and us enough to let us rest. Truthfully, I have always struggled with resting. Mostly because my identity gets wrapped up in what I am able to offer others. I lived too long under the lie of significance coming from contribution, an affront to everything I stand for.
I regularly struggled with the practice of the Sabbath, and while I won’t get into breaking down the theology of the Sabbath, I will say that it’s a commandment to rest and enjoy. By the way, this commandment pre-dates the mosaic law and is found in the second chapter of the book of Genesis. Just in case you were wondering where 👇🏾.
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:2-3, NKJV).
I digress.
Resting helps us to slow down and see the beauty around us, and to experience peace on the inside of us. It helps us to wonder and to ponder the wonderful. That’s what I needed.
Amid all the challenges, I forgot how God had filled this world with marvelous things. It be like that, don’t it? (yep, I meant that too). We lose sight of the beauty in us, our families, our communities, our jobs, and the world. We get tunnel vision and only think about ourselves and how things affect us. We start living for advancement and recognition. We fight against injustice and oppression and get tired of seeing brokenness in people and systems. This world can way us down, but Jesus can set us free to both work and rest. To enjoy and enhance.
In short, I fell in love again with Jesus and the world He created. I fell in love with the world He placed me in and the world He gave me to steward. What do I mean? God gave me a family to steward, a job to steward, and people to lead, and blessed me with influence. There is beauty in what I’ve been entrusted with, and if I don’t take the time to see the wonder in my family, then I won’t value them as I should. If I don’t take the time to see the beauty in my work, then I won’t be faithful to the people I serve as I should.
David found this wonder and expressed it beautifully in Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Psalm 23: 1-3
I found rest again when I surrendered my life afresh to be led by the Good Shepherd. It's not that what I was doing was wrong; I just was going places the Lord wasn't leading me. So, I decided to stop wandering (something that I'm prone to do) and start following. I remembered that God's leadership is expansive, not restrictive. I began to see and experience a wonderful God and His wonderful world.
I'll pause here and pick up the thought next time. For now, how about you take some time to rest and ask yourself the following questions:
Am I running from rest? If so, why? Do I know how to rest? Is my soul weary? Do I have tiredness a vacation or an off day won't fix?
If you answered yes to those questions, I invite you to turn your heart towards Jesus because He has already turned Himself towards you. Pray this prayer,
Father,
I’m tired. I have a weariness that seems to weigh down my soul, but I am reminded that you invite all those who are weary and burdened to find rest in you. Lord, would you restore me? I surrender. I repent of trying to be in control of my own life, and I will let you lead me. Lord, restore my soul and help me to see the beauty in my life and in the world around me. Would you do this for my good and for your glory? In Jesus’ name.
Amen.