If You’re Wondering and Wandering…
I listened to this eerie yet soul-stirring “I Wonder as I Wander” Christmas folk song and it gave me yet another blog. In case you’d like to hear and see the beauty of it, here’s the link:
https://youtu.be/FonDzi49DYg?si=wdoXR192JLSF4G38
After listening and watching it, I could picture a starlit sky, shepherds leaning on their staffs, and wise men traveling dusty roads. I’m sure they wondered in their wanderings.
John Jacob Niles captured the Christmas wonder when he heard a young girl, Annie Morgan, sing a fragment of this Appalachian folk song. From her humble voice, Niles wrote the rest of the song which came a profound truth: Jesus the Savior came for ordinary people like you and me.
But this wonder isn’t meant to stay in a Christmas carol or on a beautiful nativity scene. It’s meant to stir our hearts and guide our wandering feet.
This morning my heart is stirred about the baby born in a manger Who didn’t stay in the hay. Jesus grew up and wandered the hills of Galilee, the streets of Jerusalem, and the towns in between, healing the sick, restoring the broken, and offering hope to the hopeless.
His wandering wasn’t aimless. Oh my goodness — suddenly I’m remembering Dion singing “The Wanderer”! Squirrel!!! I’ll reel myself back in to remind us all that Jesus was purposeful! He was on purpose to fulfill His mission for you and me – a mission that led to His ultimate act of love on the cross.
And what about us? Don’t we all wonder about the “whys” of life? Why am I here? Where am I going? Especially during the Christmas season, we can feel lost in the hustle of wrapping gifts, decorating cookies, and attending parties. But in all our wondering and wandering, there’s a Savior calling us to “Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10)
He invites us to surrender the chaos, the questions, and the weariness of our wandering to Him. When we open our hearts to Jesus, we find that He is our “home sweet home.” No more aimless wandering. No more restless wondering. NOW, we have the deep assurance that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Who came for us, died for us, and lives to lead us.
This Christmas may our hearts rest in the truth of that starlit promise. Let’s not just celebrate the season. Let’s literally come to the Christ who makes all our wondering and wandering worthwhile.