REVERENT WONDER AND THE EDGE'S RICKENBACKER

REVERENT WONDER AND THE EDGE'S RICKENBACKER

6-30-15 I'm on the plane heading home from Chicago and the U2 show at the United Center last night.

I needed this. Not because I'm the kind of fan who can't function without hearing their tunes. Honestly, I'm not all that good with remembering all the lyrics, even to the hits. But I have been moved by their music since I bought "The Joshua Tree" record as a teenager.

I've been blessed to see them twice before, on the last tour, in Atlanta and Nashville. Both incredible shows, seen with good friends and both worth the travel, troubles and expense. With this tour they weren't going to as many cities, but in each city they're doing 2-8 shows. So, Chicago was about my only option.....off I went. Alone. Night 4 of 5 for the tour in Chicago.

But I needed this to be more than a rock concert...I could tell.

I needed this....because I realized lately I've been living without much of a sense of "Reverent Wonder". St. Peter wrote about the things that complement basic faith in 2 Peter Ch 1 where he lists understanding, patience and discipline (they seem like the obvious pieces to me). But then, in the Message, it says we also need "Reverent Wonder, Warm Friendliness, and Generous Love".

This past year....even typing this makes me tear up....has been the most spiritually confirming of my life (God is on the move for us as a family) while being the most exhausting and, at times, thin and dry season I've ever lived. We HAD to move to get family help with my oldest son. We had to get to the next phase of his life and we're on the edge of getting him working and living a somewhat more independent life. We've also blessed Deb (Sarah's sister) and her son beyond calculation by being here. I even think Sarah is generally more healthy because she gets rest and moments to herself more regularly now.

Me, though....I've been living with basically only patience and discipline....and fatigue and shelled-up-ness. Obviously there've been reverent and wonder-filled quick, fleeting moments--like leading worship at Bethel Bible Church. And seeing my work responsibilities, abilities and rewards increase has made me feel good...for moments at least.

There just hasn't been much of this "Reverent Wonder".

Sarah was traveling with my mom and oldest son to NC....and something (or someone, like You, Holy Spirit) brought to my mind the idea of looking at U2.com. I noticed open concert dates that had tickets available in places I knew I could get to. Then a Wonder-ful moment of life and love happened when I texted the idea to Sarah and she was 100% for it.

So, a plane ticket on points, a 35th floor downtown Chicago Hampton Inn room on points, a free day rental car all led up to me being in section 332, row 5, seat 3 last night.

The Irish boys sounded goooood, I tell ya!! I could tell Bono's voice has some wear and tear on it. That's real touring rock n roll....when it isn't perfectly polished because they're giving their all night after night. They tried a few different things in the set that were true treats. But a glimpse of "Reverent Wonder" at God and His good gifts to me....to me....crept into my psyche--like Edge playing his Rickenbacker on "Mysterious Ways"-that, my friends, is a beautiful guitar...and hearing the first ever live performance of "The Crystal Ballroom"...and being there, as with most every U2 show for the last 25 years, when in the encore, Edge starts that swirling intro to "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the entire arena erupts in jubilation.

I'm not changed by being there. It wasn't a spiritual nirvana kind of thing. Instead, I'm just aware....that moments mount up. The straining ones take a toll that a 2+hour rock concert will not undo (and what a moron I'd be to think it could).

But a 2+hour show can and did remind me that beauty matters, joy in music that moves me matters, love exemplified by my bride matters.

Reverent Wonder is what I'm naming the photo....I'll print this photo in an 8x10 and frame it. It's a small Ebenezer for this moment of remembering God's goodness to me.