By 
Wonder
We live, really live, when our lives are “illumined by the steady radiance, renewed daily, of a wonder, the source of which is beyond all reason.” —Dag Hammarskjold (UN Secretary-General, 1953-1961)
Luke’s gospel sets the stage of wonder. Doctors in general have a thirst for knowledge. I know; I live with one. And the “beloved physician” Luke was no different. He asked the questions, probed the problems, verified the eyewitness accounts of those who travelled with Jesus. Dr. Luke wondered (verb) — “was curious” in his search for truth.
Somewhere along the line Luke’s wondering (verb) would have transitioned to a state ofwonder, the noun: “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable” (Oxford Dictionary online).
Can you not imagine him scratching his head over the story of this woman Elizabeth, barren, well beyond her child-bearing years (Luke 1:7), now with child (1:24)? How could it be? And Mary, a virgin—never with a man, yet pregnant (2:4)? There was nothing remotely reasonable about either of these pregnancies.
The shepherds were certainly filled with wonder. First there was that angel “with good news of great joy” (2:10). Then the chorus of the heavenly host: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (2:13-14). And Mary, in that stable, hearing their story treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19).
As we celebrated the birth of the Messiah this past Christmas, I got to contemplating the state of my wonder (noun). How often have I treasured up the events of that glorious first Christmas morning? When was the last time I pondered, really pondered the Christ child in my heart?
Interludes
Interlude: “A short period of time when a situation or activity is different from what comes before and after it.” —Cambridge Dictionary online
Digging deeper into the stories in Luke this past year has given me pause, not only to wonder but to take note of the extreme love Jesus had for the people. It wasn’t long before His ministry took off following His forty days of temptation in the desert (4:1-13). Luke is peppered with brief snapshots of Him teaching, healing, making invaluable connections: the news about (Jesus) spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of all their sicknesses (5:15).
Interludes come to mind. While an interlude is most often associated with music, I find the crescendo of joy in biblical interludes notable. Jairus, a VIP in the local synagogue, has come and pled with Jesus to save his only daughter who is dying (8:41-42). And Jesus is on his way to do just that. The crowds are crushing in on His progress. In their midst is this one woman who has been bleeding for 12 years. Not a single woman I know would be happy with a 12-year period, not to mention being shunned by society (Leviticus 15:19-28). “If only I can get close enough to touch Him,” she must have said to herself.
And immediately her bleeding stopped! Imagine her joy—just a touch of His cloak and the bleeding stopped! And Jesus stopped: “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me” (8:46). Jesus had time and love for this social outcast. In the press of the crowd He sensed the touch of faith. And He wanted not only the woman, but everyone who heard the story to know it was her faith that made her whole—both physically and spiritually (8:48).
Jesus has time for each one if us. Interludes are important to Him. Reach out and touch Him to draw on His peace. Pull your friends into your interludes to catch a glimpse of the glory of heaven.
In the big picture it seems to me we are in the greatest interlude of all, from Eden to Eternity. God’s intent was not that we’d so quickly be tossed out of paradise to spend our days in disarray. But we chose to sin, so we are in limbo as have been God’s people from Adam down through Abraham to Moses to Daniel till Jesus. Ah, but this one will end in the perfect peace of eternity future.
Magnum Opus
It was not such a giant leap from Wonder to Interludes to Magnum Opus in my mind then when Erica Wiggenhorn called the transfiguration of Jesus a “magnum opus” moment in her study of Luke (Unexplainable Jesus, p.108).
“Magnum opus”, means masterpiece or great work (Merriam Webster). We attach the term to literary, musical, or artistic productions mainly; but what would God consider His magnum opus”? I mean, look at all of creation “in the beginning” when the light encroached on the darkness, and the waters separated, and vegetation and creatures and birds thrived, and man and woman, in God’s “own image”, received the “breath of life” (Genesis 1&2). I can hardly imagine.
And what about the Red Sea parting? or the manna from heaven? or the virgin birth of Jesus? to mention only a few.
Can you visualize Peter, James, and John up on that mountaintop with Jesus, Luke 9:28-34: the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. To see, to be privy to this conversation with Moses and Elijah—why, this confirms the plan, the culmination of the Law and the prophets at the proper time. To hear the Almighty speak from the cloud could well be God’s showcase statement, His “magnum opus” verifying Jesus’ identity: “my Son”!
Amazingly the disciples kept this to themselves and told no one at that time what they had seen (9:36). Not now, not yet, but imagine the sense it would make to them at the resurrection.
The things of this life will come together for us all in that day when God (will exalt Jesus) to the highest place and (give) him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).
That indeed will be God’s “magnum opus”.
Ah, the wonder of it all!
Nancy Paul
Nancy Paul is Canadian born and bred but happily settled in Texas. She is married, mother of two, and grandmother of three busy boys. A long time Womenary student, she loves to read, is a lover of God's word and a wannabe writer. Nancy is a regular contributor to encouraging.com, a collection of blog articles regularly published by the women of Green Acres Baptist Church of Tyler. As well, she is the women's Bible study coordinator at GABC. 
