“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.” Habakkuk‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is astonishing. According to the dictionary astonishing means, extremely surprising or impressive, or amazing. Take a look at Ray’s photo of Amphitrite, the underwater mermaid statue at Grand Cayman Island on a vacation in 2017. I imagine in person this 9 feet, bronze statue is astonishing.

Now read our key verse Habakkuk, who is telling us to look around and to be astonished at what God is doing. This was God’s answer after Habakkuk had been complaining about the violence and destruction around him. God tells him He is raising up Babylonians, also known as Chaldeans to bring judgment and punishment to His people of Judah.

Obviously, in our day to day, we will not be seeing statues of mermaids but we do live in a fallen world full of violence and destruction. We also live in a world where we are blessed to serve and worship a God who lives and reigns in and through us. A God who can bring beauty from ashes. Let’s pray and ask God to open our eyes to His astonishing beauty.

Dear God, You never cease to amaze me. Thank You for living and reigning in my life among a fallen world. Open my eyes to be astonished by Your beauty. Help me to share your wonder with all those that I come in contact with. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

For more information on the Amphitrite mermaid statue, you can visit Mermaids of The Earth