Sometimes when I need a reminder of God’s rock-solid trustworthiness, I touch a stone from the Sea of Galilee that I bought on a pilgrimage trip to Israel. Touching the oval-shaped, slightly bumpy stone from a place where Jesus performed miracles connects me with wonder that inspires me to trust and rely on God. Our physical sense of touch can lead us to spiritual awe by making something about God more tangible. In Wake Up to Wonder, I explain how rocks show us various aspects of God’s character. The Bible uses the imagery of rocks to describe God, calling him “rock” (1 Corinthians 10:4), “living stone” (1 Peter 2:4) and “cornerstone” (Isaiah 28:16). “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he,” declares Deuteronomy 32:4. In Joshua chapter 4, God tells the Israelite people to gather 12 rocks from the Jordan River to use as reminders of his faithfulness to them. Rocks are just one of many different tools we can use to discover wonder through touch. I share a story in Wake Up to Wonder about how an experience of petting my cat (whose soft, wispy fur is the opposite of a rock’s hard texture) helped me feel centered in God’s love. You can experience wonder through your sense of touch in a myriad of ways, including: walking barefoot, feeling raindrops fall on your skin, holding hands with someone, exploring the textures of various foods, and paying attention to your own breath and pulse. Reaching out physically can put us in touch spiritually with powerful moments of wonder!
Learn more about experiencing God’s wonder in Wake Up to Wonder (order the paperback or the e-book) and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year (order the paperback or the e-book).