The Bungee Cord 7-12-22

Hello,

Saturday, I returned from spending five days with my grandson (also his father, who is my son, and his wife). They live in Brooklyn. Over the course of my stay, I got to go to the park a couple of times with him, read books with him, play bubbles with him, and generally just hang out with him. It’s been a while since I have spent five days with a fifteen month old, and so I had forgotten the amount of energy it takes to keep up with one. There’s a good reason why a person doesn’t have a kid when they are 65!

I hadn’t seen him since his birthday when he came to our house. It I amazing how much change happens in these early months. Before, he was mostly crawling and could pull himself up to stand. Now he is walking around (a bit like a drunken sailor) and climbing up on everything. He’s even saying a couple of words. I am officially “Grandpa Steve”….it’s a long story…but as of yet I am just a finger point and “eeee”.

The other thing that I had forgotten with by absence from fifteen month old’s is the wonder and amazement with which they live life. Every moment is filled with thrilling discoveries and findings. A couple of pigeons on the window sill is captivating. A squirrel running by brings a cheer of excitement that matches a game winning home run. Flowers can’t be passed by, but need to be touched and smelled. Food isn’t just something to politely fill your stomach, but something to mush around and smash on your face. And bath time! Need I say more.

My time with my grandson opened my eyes to things that I don’t see anymore. Things no less amazing and wonderful, but things that have become part of the expected background of life. It is amazing that bird can fly. It is wonderful that squirrels romp along tree branches. It is amazing to see beautiful flower spring from ugly weeds. It I wonderful to have a meal on which to dine. And it is amazing to feel the warm splash of water fall upon your head as you stand in the shower. Thank you, Hank, for opening my eyes to wonder and amazement.

Someone once said, “Next time you read something from the Bible, try to read it with eyes that are reading it for the first time.” For those who have heard the stories of the Bible over and over again, the punch line is already known from the first few words, and as with things like flowers, squirrels, puddles the stories lose their amazement and wonder. Things like…that Jesus would go to Zacchaeus’ house…that Jesus would not cast a stone on a woman caught in adultery…that Jesus would place children on his lap….that Jesus would eat dinner with the person who he knew would betray him…that Jesus would die on the cross and rise from the dead….that Jesus would promise, “Lo, I am with you always.”

It is easy for the Bible stories to become no more than background scenery, matters of theological debate, or wise teachings as they are heard over and over again. But that I far less than what they can be in our lives. That is why we all need to spend some time with a fifteen month old who can open our eyes to the amazement and wonder that is all around us, and is in Scripture. Maybe you can’t be as blessed as I to spend a week with a fifteen month old, but maybe as you have spent this time with me and my grandson, Hank, you, like I, have been given new eyes to capture the wonder and amazement of the world around us, and of the God who loves us.

Have a wonder-full and amazing week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger

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