Chapter 1 - Wonder

Josh's faculty of wonder



Josh wandered up the garden, which was especially beautiful in the warm, golden sunlight, and sat on the bench next to a flowerbed. If this was only earth, then heaven must be amazing. But heaven was probably only for grown-ups, because they were all so clever. He thought about how helpful his father had been with his maths homework. How come grown-ups could understand his homework, but he couldn't understand the things they read? He had heard his mother once say something about the older you grew, the wiser you became, which certainly seemed to work, because most grown-ups were a lot cleverer than him. They could do sums in their head, and use clever words, and grandma would talk about awfully wise things, and she was very old. She talked about why you couldn't fall of the edge of the world, which was a thought that made Joshua shiver. And then he thought about how clever God is, to make a whole universe even with little spiders and caterpillars amongst the grass. So it struck him that God must be ancient. When his mother came up the garden to talk to him, he seized the opportunity to present his idea to her.

“Mum, if you become wiser as you grow older, then God must be ancient!” Laura considered this point, then smiled.

“ It's a good point, actually.” She said, which made Josh feel all warm inside. He had always wondered why he felt like this.

“ Some people call God the “Ancient of Days”, because He has existed forever.” Josh's eyes widened at this.

“Really?” he said in amazement, then thought for a moment. “But what about before he made the world - it must have been awfully boring.”

Now it was Laura's turn to feel warm inside, because she was very fond of Joshua and his curiosity. She felt he breathed new life into a world that so many of us have grown to take for granted.

“ Well it's difficult to know what to do with eternity, I should imagine.” She replied.

Josh thought some more, and then said, “I suppose God is too big to understand completely.

“I suppose he is.” They both pondered for a bit, and then Laura continued, “That's why He sent His son to the Earth, so He could explain some of the things that are concealed by the stars in Heaven. He came to show us what we can give back to God for all the wonderful things He has done.”

Again, Josh's eyes widened at this concept.

“What could we possibly give back to God that would show how thankful we are? What would be big enough to compare to God?”

Laura adored that little twinkle in his eyes, it was as though a part of God was shining playfully out of those bright blue pools, innocently, if it were, but possessing a hidden wisdom she knew had existed forever.

“Jesus taught us to live our lives for God, and to show His love in everything we do. To love and admire the world He created is the greatest gift we could give.”

After a short reflection, Josh spoke again,

“The wise men gave Jesus presents, didn't they? But they were very strange presents to give to someone as special as Jesus. I suppose the fact that they came all that way to see Him must have been wonderful.” He paused. “I'd walk a long way for Jesus.” He said, and Laura wrapped her arms around him.

“You know, for a 6 year old, you are talking very wisely. That's what the Holy Spirit stirs up in you - an undying curiosity.” These words sounded incredibly pleasing to Joshua, which made him feel even warmer inside. He decided that this was God's way of saying that he loved him, because he was thinking so much about his creation.

Josh thought of a bible story he had once heard, about Jesus talking to some people at the temple. He was only 12 years old then. So he said to his mother, “Jesus said some wise things when he was only 12. When his parents thought they had lost him, he said, “Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?” The teachers at the temple were amazed at his wisdom and understanding. So I suppose you don't have to be old to be clever. Not if God is helping you.”

Laura was impressed at this bible reference and asked him, “Where did you learn that?”

He replied simply, “we learnt it at school.”

Laura thought some more about how curious her son was, which she admired more than anything. If only everyone, adults too, could keep that faculty of wonder and admire the world like a child. Then maybe God might receive a worthy gift of praise.

“When Jesus was grown up, He let all the little children come to Him. He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not enter the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Now his eyes were wider than ever before, and Laura could guess exactly what he was thinking;

“So, does that mean I can live in heaven too?”

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