The Marvel Universe - pt 1

As I reached out to brush a wisp of hair from my wife’s eyes this morning, I had to stop and marvel at my wrist.  It wasn’t that my wrist in itself is anything special to marvel at, but the fact that my watch, which a few weeks ago fit snuggly was now loosely sliding up and down with room to spare!  That sight elicited a “whoop” out of me because it was visual proof of the 20 pounds the scale says I have lost since starting my diet plan almost a month ago.  Pretty cool, don’t you think!

That “cool” also elicited another “whoop” out of me as I considered this in line with what  I discovered in the Word today.  In John 5:19-20 Jesus is documented as telling the religious leaders that “I can guarantee this truth: the Son cannot do anything on his own.  He can do only what he sees the Father doing.  Indeed, the Son does exactly what the Father does.  The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.  The Father will show him even greater things to do than these things so that you will be amazed.” (God’s Word ©)  Many other versions including the King James say “that ye may marvel.”

To marvel at something means to “wonder exceedingly,” or “to behold” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions) which if you remember past blogs, means as in Psalm 91:16, to “observe a remarkable or impressive person or thing.” (Google online dictionary)  The Message Bible explains this thought by the modern saying that “you haven’t seen the half of it yet!”

Can’t you just see Jesus telling the Jewish leaders with a wink and a smile that “You haven’t seen that half of it yet,” and that His Father wants to show the world even greater, more marvelous works than they could ever imagine?  We know from Paul’s writings that he fully bought into this understanding when he testified of a God who “is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV)  He even went so far as to tell us to stir up the gift that is inside of us so that we could experience the marvels of God on a more regular basis. (see: 2 Timothy 1:6)

While studying this earlier today, I thought back on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D program we watched the other night.  On this episode it showed a warrior of the far away universe kingdom of the Asgard who comes to earth to warn the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents of a grave threat to our world.  The one point that stuck in my mind about this episode was how Agent Coulsen was completely unmoved or surprised by Lady Sif’s appearance or supernatural strength.  And as I thought about it, I realized that it was because he had already seen her in action at another time in the Arizona desert.  (See the first Thor movie… it’s great!)

I think that this is what Jesus was trying to teach us in our verse from the beginning of His earthly ministry.  He was attempting to get us comfortable with the marvel of His works on this earth for, in and through us!  Not just so we can marvel whenever we see or are a part of his supernatural power, but that we would come to expect it on a regular basis.  After all, Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “Faith assures us of things we expect.” (God’s Word ©)  In speaking of the marvelous things of God, John Wesley in his Explanatory Notes says that “Jesus oftener terms them works, than signs and wonders, because they were not wonders in his eyes.”  In other words, the experiences that we marvel at are just normal to Him!

I believe that the more we see of His marvelous works, the more we will come to be in the expectation of faith for His miraculous intervention in every part of our lives!  Now that defines an exciting life to me… how about you?  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”