Hillsong United ‘Wonder’

Written by: Laura Chambers (6/5/2017)

When you awake in the morning, still fresh from the previous night’s sleep, all thoughts and cares from the previous day temporarily set aside, a stream of light shines through the curtains, magnetically pulling you towards the window to breathe the fresh dawn air and hear the birds greet the day. For a brief moment, it seems like the first day of a new life.

A higher kind of awe fills the follower of Christ on their first day believing, the hush after an unimaginable miracle, the tender moments spent baptizing the floor with tears. Hillsong United attempts to capture that kind of childlike Wonder in their latest album by the same name.

Setting the stage for the rest of the album, “Wonder” describes the moment we look at our surroundings through God’s eyes. It’s a bit of a reverie as colors and images invisible to our natural vision breathe fresh life into us. “Shadow Step” recalls the story of the woman at the well, seeking Jesus to move our hearts with the same ease as the earth or the air is disturbed. He works in ways we may not anticipate but He is always good. “Future Marches In” assures us that fear should not be our response to the darkness. Instead, they recommend all the faithful sing in the face of trial. When we remember that death has been destroyed by the cross, we can go forward bravely. “So Will I” hearkens back to creation by God’s hand and word, His love and glory visible in every corner of the universe. If these speak loudly and unashamedly of Him in every way, shouldn’t we also? If they follow His order and move at His command, how can we not do the same? Adding our voices and our lives to the endless chorus, this song pictures a surrender to God’s will as natural as the seasons changing. It kind of topples our objections to doing so by putting our status in perspective relative to the grandeur of the heavens and our world. It’s my hands-down favorite of the whole album.

“Splinter And Stones” begins to see what has always been true; Jesus has been standing in the midst of our pain, waiting for us to respond to His voice. He took the punishment that was coming to us so that we would not have to bear it. “Glimmer In The Dust” shows how little time it takes to fall from grace, but also how quickly we can be restored by Christ. When we see Him face to face, we regard Him the way a child does and long for His love to rule us completely. “Greatest Of These” reminds us that Christ-like love must be present for our words and actions to have any meaning. Taking inspiration from 1^st Corinthians 13, the song reminds us that the cross is the underpinning for all our acts of love. “Shape Of Your Heart” visualizes the immeasurable boundaries of God’s love for us, stretching from one end to the other and crossing whatever lines it has to in order to make its way to us.

“Not Today” is defiantly standing against doubt and fear by singing praises to push back the darkness with Jesus’ name. One day at a time, we combat the lies and reaffirm our commitment to showing Satan the back door. It’s an upbeat track made for anyone who’s in a fight for their life, making it seem less daunting a prospect with Jesus on our side.“Life” sees the unfathomable depths of God and wants nothing more than more of the life found in Him. Offering everything we possibly can, we look towards Him, worshipping. He is closer to us than anyone.  “Rain” shows everything finding its center and completion in Christ, whose power flows from the heavens like rain and can reduce the mountains to a puddle of wax. Nothing could ever make Him turn back on His promises to us. The longest track on the album at 9m 47s, “Water To Wine” describes our longing for holiness as a thirst that can only be slaked by something greater than water. No one but Jesus can bring refreshment to our souls, so we remain in Him, becoming transformed by His life. A brief conversation about love between adults and children bookends this final song.

There are few experiences that compare to beholding the awesome glory of God. Wonder calls to our hearts and echoes back from our souls as we behold the Lord. Hillsong United puts words in the mouths of worshippers who would otherwise be left at a loss for them in His presence.

3.8/5