a touch of magic
“To cease to wonder is to fall plumb-down from the childlike to the commonplace—the most undivine of all moods intellectual. Our nature can never be at home among things that are not wonderful to us.”
Wonder. I often consider the act and meaning of the word. What is it to truly wonder at something? I have been low, no perhaps quiet is the better word, in spirit these last few weeks. In truth, I cannot quite explain the feeling I have, only that it has overtaken me day by day until it has consumed my mind. I will do the best I can to elaborate as to the nature of my wonderings.
It all leads back to wonder, which by definition means to be surprised or to feel admiration towards something beautiful or unfamiliar. My thoughts were these, why do we not believe in magic? Silly, it must seem to hear this for we are taught from a young age that such things have never been and are just a literary and creative licence. However, I do not refer to the "magic" that is spoken of with witches and sorcerers, where one does not quite know what is good and what is bad, some greater power that is harnessed and at work. I refer to a power that can be felt through all things, a pulsing of life and of strength that could create or destroy with a breath or a word. And, dear reader, I believe that such "magic" exists.
There I have done it and eyes roll I am sure, but please stay with me a little while longer. As children, everything is new and exhilarating. The sound of the rain and the endless joy that is to be derived from splashing in the puddles it leaves behind; the first blooms of spring, the sound of the trees as they whisper together, all these things are wondered and accepted a perfect and as beautiful. As we grow older, I believe that most of us stop considering the things that make life beautiful and start focusing on what we haven't got or on what is not quite right in the world. Now, do not get me wrong as there is a time and place for everything and every child must grow up and earn the way the world goes wrong. However, what if we never lost our sense of wonderment, of magic.
Alright, so now what? What do I mean by magic and where do we find it if it exists? But remember, I am not talking about sorcerer wands, harnessing the force of the earth to move and wield objects at will, etc. I am speaking of presence, God's presence.
It is my belief that we can feel His presence in all places if we truly wish it. C. S. Lewis once said that "we may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God" (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer). It is of God's presence that I speak and the magic that it brings. There is nothing so powerful, so terrifying, so real as the power of God and yet nothing so quiet, so gentle, and so loving at the same time.
I believe that His presence, this "magic" is shown to us in many ways, but that I feel most when in nature. It seems to me almost as if I hear his voice with the trees or feel His breath in the wind, and see His smile in the blossoms of the flower. Silly perhaps? Maybe, but I like to think of it. I like to think that God has all this power and He can is greater than anything in the universe, with one word He could tear the cities we have strove to build, He could colour the sun black and take away all that is good and beautiful to our eyes. He does not. He chooses not to terrify us with his presence and power, but to come in the gentle whispers, in the things He creates. We can look up to the mountains and not worship them, but to stand in awe and wonder at such power, which though strong and mighty and sublime, still wishes to know us each one by one and to know us by heart and by name. Who wishes to shower us in blessings and with the beauty our eyes always seek. These: flowers, rivers, lakes, mountains are reminders of His presence, always constant and always present.
Now one last word on wonder. I believe that it is right and good to wonder and to even question why things are the way they seem. To speak piffle at the clouds and to hold your ear to the breeze as if to listen to north wind's voice, it is natural and I believe good. To wonder is to never grow tired of all that is true and good and beautiful, and of that is given from He that made it so.
So yes, I believe in "magic" and I like to think that whenever there is a sunny day and a bird sings and the trees rustle their heads together, that He is there, smiling down and telling me that all is well, nothing lasts forever and one day, I will be home. .with Him.
It is my belief that we can feel His presence in all places if we truly wish it. C. S. Lewis once said that "we may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God" (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer). It is of God's presence that I speak and the magic that it brings. There is nothing so powerful, so terrifying, so real as the power of God and yet nothing so quiet, so gentle, and so loving at the same time.
I believe that His presence, this "magic" is shown to us in many ways, but that I feel most when in nature. It seems to me almost as if I hear his voice with the trees or feel His breath in the wind, and see His smile in the blossoms of the flower. Silly perhaps? Maybe, but I like to think of it. I like to think that God has all this power and He can is greater than anything in the universe, with one word He could tear the cities we have strove to build, He could colour the sun black and take away all that is good and beautiful to our eyes. He does not. He chooses not to terrify us with his presence and power, but to come in the gentle whispers, in the things He creates. We can look up to the mountains and not worship them, but to stand in awe and wonder at such power, which though strong and mighty and sublime, still wishes to know us each one by one and to know us by heart and by name. Who wishes to shower us in blessings and with the beauty our eyes always seek. These: flowers, rivers, lakes, mountains are reminders of His presence, always constant and always present.
Now one last word on wonder. I believe that it is right and good to wonder and to even question why things are the way they seem. To speak piffle at the clouds and to hold your ear to the breeze as if to listen to north wind's voice, it is natural and I believe good. To wonder is to never grow tired of all that is true and good and beautiful, and of that is given from He that made it so.
So yes, I believe in "magic" and I like to think that whenever there is a sunny day and a bird sings and the trees rustle their heads together, that He is there, smiling down and telling me that all is well, nothing lasts forever and one day, I will be home. .with Him.
"For the power of my love shall sound to you through the waters and my gaze shall shine on your through the sun, my breath as the wind shall soothe your worries, and my voice shall breach the very breadth of the mountains and the limits of the sky. I will bring to you peace and healing, pick you up when you fall, for I hear your tired heart as it whispers to me.
Just remember to look up to the mountain, feel the warmth of the sun and the touch of the wind. And know that within every beautiful thing that is wild and true, and even in the darkness, I am there."
~ my musing
“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labour is to remember, to attend … in fact to come awake. Still more, to remain awake.”
~C.S. Lewis in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
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