RHYTHM - Wonder

     A sense of wonder will keep us in rhythm with God. This is basically the essence of Solomon’s argument, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10 NIV). Wonder is the beginning of rhythm. If we want to live a life in sync with the Creator of the universe, we must begin by recognizing who He really is. We need to pursue a sense of wonder. Who is this God we serve? What is He like? Why should we desire to live in rhythm with Him?

    We need to be challenged to look at God in new ways. So many times we find that we are so familiar with “churchy” descriptions of God that we forget who He really is or maybe we never have really known much about God and we really haven’t cared enough to find out more. When we forget who God is, how awesome and surprising He can be, or when we neglect God altogether, then we are tempted to turn our attention and affection to other things. As a result, our lives fall out of rhythm. We desperately need to discover a God who is bigger than our attempts to define Him. And the reality is that if we feel like we know everything about God, then we really don’t know Him at all because He’s so much bigger than trite, simplistic answers or cliches. God will consistently amaze us all throughout our lives.


Take some time and think through these questions (if you want to find a friend to discuss them with, that would be even better!)

- What are some things that amaze you? What captures your sense of wonder? 

- What are some things that you hear a lot--at home, at church, at school? Has the impact of those words or statements lessened because you’ve heard them so much?

- Are there any things that you’ve heard or know about God that don’t seem to impact you as much as they used to? What are some examples?

- Have you ever had a moment when you felt a sense of wonder and awe about God? Describe it. 

- What would a life in rhythm with God look like? Read the Message version of Romans 12:1-2 - So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

-  What are some signs in your life that you are out of rhythm with God? 

- Read Psalm 19:1-10. David, the author of this psalm, had a sense of wonder about God. Ask students to talk about how God is described in these verses.

-  How does your sense of wonder affect your relationship with God? If you are bored with God, what do you think could restore your sense of wonder about who He is? 

      -  In closing, read Ephesians 3:16-19.