The God Who Says "Again!"
Chesterton, Tea Parties, and the Sacred Joy of the Mundane
“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” (G.K. Chesterton)
Have you ever watched a video on social media or on YouTube of dads having tea-time with their daughters? Some of them are large, burly men with beards, tattoos, and oil stains on their fingers. And yet there they are, wearing a glittery tutu and a plastic tiara, sipping imaginary tea from a too-small cup like it’s a fine aged Earl Grey, pinky extended like royalty. Why do they do this? Because they delight in their daughters! (and maybe because they secretly enjoy it just a tiny bit. I won’t judge.)
It’s a beautiful image of a strong and powerful person engaging in the simple joy of their child - not out of obligation, but out of delight.
I recently came across the above Chesterton quote in a podcast that I listen to and it reminds me of that in some ways. I love the idea of God being childlike. This doesn’t mean naive or unaware, nor does it take away from God’s power or might or sovereignty - He’s still holding the universe together, after all. It just means that He delights in the simple joy of His creation. The thought of God watching the sun rise in rapture, or God clapping His hands and calling Abraham and Ruth and David and Peter and Mary around like, “Guys! Guys! Come see this sunset—it’s a banger tonight!” And then sighing contentedly like a Dad after mowing the lawn, just soaking it in.
Maybe God even takes photos of the sunsets and puts them on his refrigerator.
Could it be that God takes this kind of delight in us too? This never-exhaustible childlike love and delight in seeing us turn back to him time after time, in coming to him with our bruises and hurts and joys and new creations saying, “Look what I made!!!” And he looks on us with joy.
Of course we grieve the heart of God many times. This is also the experience of all fathers. But this love of God is simpler, deeper, and more powerful than anything we’ve ever encountered before.
I wonder if I can take joy like this? In the simple, in the mundane, in the routine. “I get to take my kid to soccer practice again! I get a whole uninterrupted 25 minutes with them in the car, all to myself!” “I have a house to vacuum, which means I have a house. And also, look at this weird sock I found under the couch. Neat!”
I’m not so naïve as to think that I’ll engage with all of my chores with childlike wonder. I’m too imperfect and finite for that. But can we have a fresh wonder of God and his mercies that are new every morning? (Lam. 3:22-23)
Does this quote give you a different perspective on God? What does it stir in you?