Radiant Wonder

Radiant Wonder is a phrase A. W. Tozer uses in the introduction to his classic, "The Pursuit of God." He states it is a wonder that should accompany faith in Christ but is generally missing in the church today. That lack is really a loss of Christ's manifest presence. (Ravi Zacharias has an excellent book on the same topic, "Recapture the Wonder)." The loss of wonder can be traced to man becoming enamored with himself. How distressing an boring when the measure of greatness is how much money, what office you get elected to, what kind of car you drive, etc. The psalmist lived with radiant wonder as he was in awe of creation and the handiwork of Almighty God. We lose the awe when we fail to truly come to know Christ and merely exist with a form of godliness. We lose the radiant wonder when pray becomes perfunctory and being in communion with the living Christ is non-existent. Radiant Wonder is the direct result of knowing Christ. It flows out of a hunger and thirst for knowing Christ. Radiant wonder follows the impulse to pursue God for God's sake-an impulse that our Creator plants within us. Part of revival is reviving the wonder in the heart of the church. The wonder of God's love for us. The wonder of Christ's sacrifice. The wonder of freedom in Christ. The wonder of the witness of the Spirit. The wonder of our Father in heaven who loves to give good gifts to his children. The wonder of eternity and a new heaven and new earth. The wonder of His presence everywhere, everyday. This loss of wonder parrellels the loss of our first love (Revelation 2:4). Lord God Almighty, put a divine discontent in our hearts that will give birth to a holy desperation to seek your face until your rend the heavens and do a new work among us-that would be wonderful.