Recapture the Wonder

Recapture the Wonder

by Ravi Zacharias
Brentwood, TN: Integrity Publishers, 2003

Reviewed by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

We all start out in this world with hope and wonder. Every birth brings with it hope for a new life fresh with possibility. In infancy, others dream for us, but as time goes on, our dreams become our own; at some point, we are bound to be disappointed in our quest to achieve them. Even if our dreams do come true, we may find that they don't offer the fulfillment we thought that they would. In "Recapture the Wonder," Ravi Zacharias attempts to show how to reclaim some of our vision and hope, to find some satisfaction in our quest for purpose in our lives. "Wonder is that possession of the mind that enchants the emotions while never surrendering reason."

Zacharias begins with exploring wonder in childhood. He argues that we are taking that wonder away from our children through the glut of material goods that they so often have at their disposal. He urges limiting the number of toys and allowing plenty of time for children to develop their imaginations and find joy in the world. He then goes on to state that God has given us many amazing "goods" in this world along with a memory so that we can recall experiencing them. Gratitude, experiencing the truth of God's reality, and experiencing love are three components that help bring the wonder back into our lives. The last component is a "sense of security" that God has conquered both life and death. In order to fully develop these components in our life, we must be faithful readers of Scripture and devote time to prayer.

While "Recapture the Wonder" is uneven in spots and takes detours en route to his main thesis, Zacharias is correct in his basic tenets. In order to appreciate where we are and what we have been given, we need to be thankful, acknowledge truth, love, and ultimately, have hope for the future.


Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur is editor of "The Spiritual Woman Newsletter", (http://www.spiritualwoman.net) and author of "Letters to Mary from a Young Mother" (iUniverse 2004). She has a Master of Arts in Applied Theology from Elms College.

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