Joy, Awe and Wonderment
June 2026 - Bruce Fairbairn, Elder
It is a joyful, exhilarating and magical time watching our one-year-old grandson Noah grow and experience the world with new and wide-open eyes. He’s getting ready to walk soon and his excitement is palpable and contagious as he stands unsupported for even a few seconds. Noah smiles triumphantly and even gives a little yell sometimes. He knows that he is on the cusp of new, unrealized adventures and he can’t wait.
I vividly remember our daughter Sarah at this same stage. She stood holding on to the sofa, quickly lifting her hands off and on again and again. Suddenly, Sarah stood alone facing us with her hands upraised in triumph. At that moment, she was the picture of pure joy, awe and wonderment. Her moment—and now Noah’s–reminds me of the movie Rocky when the boxer ran up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps and exultantly reached his goal.
‘Young-uns’ could teach us ‘old-uns’ a thing or two about seeing the world with new and wide-open eyes; grasping hold of and being joyful in the moment, ready and expectant for what comes next. As we age, many folks seem to lose a little of that wonder and excitement, thinking we have seen it all, know it all, and it’s just another ho-hum moment. When that happens to me, all I need do is to look up into the clear night sky and marvel anew at all those glorious stars, planets and bright-shining moon. Joy, awe and wonderment is all around us, renewed and refreshed every morning with God’s abundant blessings and mercies. Jesus taught us to be truly alive and thankful in every moment, even the commonplace ones. The expression Carpe Diem—Seize the Day—comes to mind.
Many of us have received the great gift of communion hundreds of times in our lives. I pray it never becomes stale or ho-hum or routine to any of us. The privilege of sharing in the Lord’s Table should bring to our hearts an ever-enduring, ever-refreshing celebration of joy. awe and wonderment. We remember the past, are nourished and energized in the present and look with excitement and anticipation to the future.
Bruce Fairbairn – Elder
