Inspire Creation Wonder
Bible Verse
God’s eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That’s why those people don’t have any excuse. (CEV) Romans 1: 20
Small children are full of wonder, discovering the world with wide eyes and open mouths. The big question they constantly ask is “why?” As our children get older and their understanding deepens, we should continue to foster this question of “why?” Answering that question beyond simply saying “God made it” allows us to show children how God made this world to tell us about himself. Asking “why?” helps them see who God is in the world around them.
Exploring Wonder
Explore God’s creation to express who God is to your children.
Take a deep dive into God’s creation: go camping. Explore God’s work through some happy wanderings and puddle jumping. Take it a step further with a day hike or bike ride. Challenge kids to assemble nature collections. Do some star gazing and ask what it reveals about God and his divine nature. A week of camping can lead to all kinds of questions about God and his world.
Ask big “why?” questions together. Demonstrate your own wonder; share your “why?” questions. Together, research answers to everyone’s questions. Can you assemble a list of adjectives from what you learn that describes God? When you pray, address God with those same adjectives!
Connect what they learn to God. Over dinner, ask your children what they learned about in school. Walk them through how what they learned in science class that day reveals God’s awesome power and love for us. As they share about their math lessons in fractions or integers, remind them how amazing it is that God created numbers to be infinite like he is.
Exploring God’s Order
Examine how God’s order and creativity in creation allow us to design and do all kinds of wonderful things. Get your hands dirty!
Take apart a machine. As you disassemble a lawnmower, for example, talk through the rules God set in place that allow us to make a machine like that. God created molecules of metal; in a lawnmower, they contain the release of energy caused by the changing and expanding gas molecules; that energy pushes the pistons that turn the grass-cutting blade.
Cook dinner: Fruits, vegetables, and meat all reveal something about God’s creation. Talk about the arrangement of the florets on a cauliflower, the seed arrangement in a cucumber, or the bones of a chicken. Wonder with your child why we have metal pots but plastic handles, how a microwave works, and even why we need to eat in the first place! As you wonder, reflect on what each thing says about a God who loves and provides for your children.
Romans 1:19-20 reminds us that the divine characteristics of God are revealed in the creation around us. As God’s people, let’s help our children see that our powerful, creative, orderly, and intimate God shows us his love every day in the world around us.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Go Outside: Engaging Children in Creation
Albert Kok
Albert Kok spends a lot of time wondering in God´s creation on the Bruce Trail with his wife and four children. He is a grade 8 teacher and likes to encourage his students to wonder as well.
