We all live with expectation.
A hummingbird’s heart beats 1,260 times per minute, and their wings beat fifty to eighty times per second. When resting, they take 250 breaths per second. That’s astonishing.
My husband and I looked at each other for the one-hundredth time and said, “Why didn’t we know this?”
We both enjoy documentaries and books, which often surprise us with new information about the world. Hummingbirds have a particular fascination for us. Multiple species visit our garden, taking nectar from flowers we planted to attract them. Their iridescent feathers flash in the sun as they dart about, and we watch with awe. One bright green one drinks from the tangerine flowers while another darts into the lavender ones hanging from a vine. As we follow their busy flight, we wonder about their unlikely miraculous little bodies. Another surprise—they only exist in the New World. The Spanish explorers called them “flying jewels.”
Learning about creation fills us with delight, and today’s scientists keep adding to our wonder. The latest pictures from the James Webb telescope come to mind.
When God spoke to Job, he never explained suffering; He simply pointed out amazing facts about things He had made. He set Job’s life in the context of a complex world, giving him humility and admiration for the marvels of God’s creativity. The more understanding we gain of God’s creation, the deeper our joy.
God is a great engineer, author, artist, sculptor, and musician. We’ll never finish learning from all He does, but any understanding we gain adds to our appreciation.
An expectant heart that learns something daily and shares it with others can live aware of the miraculous. Even in times of suffering, wisdom and understanding bring a bright new perspective of joy.
Learn to live each day with expectation.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Veronika_Andrews.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Elaine Elliott has worked in Guatemala for many years in community development, peace building, and university teaching. She and her husband, Steve, have worked with the Ixil Maya people, supporting the preparation and distribution of Scripture in that language.