With the super cold weather and snow in our parts I imagine many of you were snuggled in at home on Thursday night also watching the remake of the Sound of Music. And probably singing along.
But, there were a couple new songs and scenes not included in the movie version that we all know. “There is No Way to Stop It” stopped me.
Georg von Trapp and Elsa sang these final word before deciding to part ways…
“So every star on every whirling planet,
And every constellation in the sky,
Revolves around the center of the universe,
That lovely thing called, I.And there’s no way to stop it.
No, there’s no way to stop it,
And I know, though I cannot tell you why (sigh).
Just as long as I’m living,
Just as long as I’m living,
There’ll be nothing else as wonderful as I.
I! I! I! Nothing else as wonderful as I!”
That is some true theology there. Isn’t that all of our problem? That we care more about ourselves than others?
To see it takes being brutally and painfully honest. To see it takes recognizing our sin. To see it means we need a Savior.
Because of the cold snowy weather that permitted me to watch The Sound of Music in the first place, I have been given the gift of time these past few days. Time to slow down. Time to stay at home. Time to be with my family. And time to read and reflect on Advent – the Coming of Christ – both personally and with my family.
With the help of Ann Voskamp’s new Christmas advent book, which I recommend highly, I have begun journaling my thoughts to some of her probing questions. And it just took until Day Two to realize that I don’t get caught up in the Wonder of His Love. His incarnation. His creation. His relentless pursuit of Me. His pain. His tears. His glory. His majesty. His story!
How can this be? I mean, I’m a Christian. A pastor’s wife even, writing a devotional book about living in His story. But guess what?
“That lovely thing called, I… There’ll be nothing else as wonderful as I. I! I! I!”
I…we become caught up in our own lives and the here and now. So much so that we don’t slow down enough to see the greater story being weaved in and through our lives. To see that the Creator of the Universe who made every single snowflake different, who keeps the stars in the sky and named them, came down in the form of a helpless baby for Me… for us!
The Coming of Christ, Advent, should stop us in our tracks, but it doesn’t because we are too consumed with “I” to see. So I pray that when the luxury of time begins to melt away with the snow that I will still prioritize this Being Still and reflect on the Greatest Gift… the One who comes down. The One who rescues me from myself. The One who gives meaning to life. The One who calls me His child. There is nothing else as wonderful as that!
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Sent from my iPhone
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“Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How Great Thou art, How Great Thou art!”
I love it; makes me want to sing it, shout it! Thanks for sharing, Darby.
Makes me think of another one too…
“Joy to the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And Wonders of His Love,
And Wonders of His Love
And Wonders, and Wonders of His Love”