After Wow, Ask How
The most popular vantage point looking over Bryce Canyon reveals a dazzling collection of tightly packed, beautifully colored and exquisitely carved spires (called hoodoos) that look like…well, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Over two million visitors a year come to marvel at this one-of-a-kind landscape and earlier this month my wife and I joined that number.
We both looked at many pictures of this scene before our trip and yet our first glimpse from Sunrise Point still took our breath away. We were giddy like little kids at the sheer magnificence. The delight was magnified even more as we listened to the exclamations of others. It was a spontaneous charismatic worship service, with joyful shouts of praise in diverse languages. The gift of interpretation was obviously given because there was no doubt what anyone was saying. “This is awesome!”
One response I overheard stood out from all the others. A middle-aged woman and her husband had just had their first good look at the vista, and after the initial visual soak, she shook her head slowly and said, “What the heck made all this?” I was immediately struck by what a great question this was. Everyone was saying, “Wow!” She was the only one asking, “How?” Why?
When we see an extraordinary painting we naturally seek the name of artist. When we see a towering home run on SportsCenter we naturally want to know who hit it. If we walk on the beach and pass a giant replica of Neuschwanstein Castle, we eagerly look around for the sand artist. Likewise, the countless wows of wows of our world should drive us to seek the Maker. Wow should prompt How which leads to Who.
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” (Psalm 8:1)
Pastor Toby
Categories: Evergreen Connection