The Wonder of God

By Brian Pusateri | June 30, 2015 | | Share on Facebook

Today I am sitting on my back porch; it is Sunday afternoon on June 28th. Today is the one year anniversary of the day I went blind. It happened over three days June 26-27-28, 2014. About one third of my vision disappeared each day until I had no sight remaining.

Now, thanks be to God and thanks to all of your prayers and to my doctors, I am sitting here and I can see. Soft reflective music is coming from my outdoor speakers, it is somewhat drowned out by the cacophony of the cicadas and the chirping of birds which fill the summer air. After weeks of steamy 95 degree weather, today is a low humidity day with temps in the mid 80’s. I can see the sky this year and it is a cloudless Carolina blue, and the breeze is adding the accompanying sounds of the wind chime. The view of the mountains is stunning.

In stark contrast to last year, today is filled with beauty. I remember last year wondering if I would ever see a blue sky again. Today’s view from my porch is like a priceless painting. Having had a period of time where I saw nothing I can’t help but be caught up in the wonder of the creation which I am surrounded by here in these beautiful Carolina mountains. My vision is still intermittent, but this day it is working.

Sitting here this afternoon my mind drifted to not only the wonder and the beauty and awe of God’s creation but to the awesome wonder that the God who created the entire universe cares personally about me…..and more importantly He cares about you.

I am taken back with the reality that you and I have done nothing to deserve the love that God bestows on us. I am brought to the point of joy filled tears trying to absorb the realization that God knew that we would all be sinners and still He sent His only son to pay the reparation for our sins so that we could be with Him for all of eternity.

I know that I just wrote about an Elvis Presley song a few weeks ago when I wrote In the Ghetto, so I guess Elvis is making an encore appearance here today. The song I thought of today was written by American song writer Baker Knight and recorded by many artist, but it was Elvis who made it famous in 1970. The song is THE WONDER OF YOU. I can’t think of something more fitting to say about God. Here are a few of the verses.

THE WONDER OF YOU

When no one else can understand me
When everything I do is wrong
You give me hope and consolation
You give me strength to carry on
And you´re always there to lend a hand
In everthing I do
That’s the Wonder, the wonder of you

 I guess I’ll never know the reason why
You love me as you do
That’s the Wonder, The Wonder of you

I think it is safe to say we all know so little about God, yet He knows everything about us and still loves us. Isaiah 55:8-9 says it this way:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways-oracle of the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways,

my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Therefore faith, hope and wonder are what we have. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. A year ago I did not expect to go blind. Following my sudden blindness I never knew if I would see again. I can say emphatically though, that I had trust in God no matter what the outcome might be.

As I was continuing my typing and wrapping up my thoughts for today an instrumental version of the song ON EAGLES WINGS began to play on the secular radio station I was listening to. I thought that was strange, so I took it as a “nudge from God” to wrap up my thoughts this day with the verses from that song.

So perhaps on this day, this year, it is not me but you who is the one going through a difficult time or trial in your life. Perhaps you have your own serious medical concerns to deal with. Maybe someone close to you has recently died or you yourself are facing death. Could it be that you are dealing with some financial difficulties, or family or marital strife? My heart and prayers go out to you just as your prayers went up for me a year ago. Sometimes this life brings us pain. Sometimes all might seem lost. My friends, you only have to look around at the wonder of nature to see just how awesome our God is. He will never forsake us. This same God cares for you personally. It is in Him that each of us finds our true joy.

If you are not currently experiencing any of these trials, first give thanks to God and second try reaching out to someone who is. Let them experience the love of Christ that is in you. Who can you reach out to today? Is there someone you can call or visit? Is there someone that you can brighten their day with just a kind word? Don’t wait…..there may not be a tomorrow.

As wonderful as God’s creation is, it stands as nothing compared to the joy of Heaven we hope to experience one day. We must never lose sight of what lies ahead for all of us. I hope you enjoy this song and the hope that it gives as much as I do.

“On Eagle’s Wings” is a devotional song composed by Michael Joncas. Its words are based on  Psalm 91 and Isaiah 40:31. This song was written for the wake and funeral of a friend and classmate’s father.

On Eagle’s Wings

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
Who abide in His shadow for life
Say to the Lord
“My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!”

And He will raise you up on eagles’ wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day
Though thousands fall about you
Near you it shall not come.

And He will raise you up on eagles’ wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

For to His angels He’s given a command
To guard you in all of your ways
Upon their hands they will bear you up
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

And He will raise you up on eagles’ wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand…

So as the sun begins to set on this magnificent day, which is the anniversary of my blindness, the breeze has now gone, even the cicadas seem to be resting but on this day I CAN SEE! I hope I can speak for all of us when in my prayer to God I say, “Oh the wonder of you!”.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the wonders of this life and thank you for every breath we take. Lord when these days are over bring us all into the awesome and indescribable wonder of your presence, amen.  

Brian Pusateri
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