Monday, July 9, 2012

Awesome Things, or Just Some Things?

Today, Ezekiel met one of his great-grandmas for the first time. As Zeke laid on the floor, kicking, grunting, and talking away, I got a chance to catch up with my Grandma. We talked a little bit about my Kindle - which absolutely fascinated Grandma. After hearing how such a small device could hold hundreds of books, and how those books are downloaded onto the Kindle, Grandma exclaimed, "Isn't that something!" 

Technology is pretty crazy, isn't it? And maybe not just technology, but science. Think of all we have and can do because of them: because of cruise control, we can drive our car without having to continually push on the gas; because of airplanes, we can sit in a chair in the sky to get to a faraway destination; because of Skype we can both see and talk with someone halfway around the world. Phones no longer have to be connected to the wall, TVs can respond to the sound of your voice, and large boomboxes aren't the only way to have music on the go. 

But isn't it sad how normal most of these things are to us now? I don't know a world without air conditioning, cars that can only travel 25 mph, or medical vaccines. Those younger than me don't know a world without the internet, cell phones, or iPods. As awesome and exciting as technology is, it's easy to lose the awe, isn't it? Because many of us have grown up with these things, we don't think twice about living without them; it's hard to imagine our world without them. We become so accustomed to the awe-some things in our world that they just become some things. 

Unfortunately, I think this is also evident in our spiritual lives. Growing up the in the church and with the Word around us is a wonderful blessing - but I think when we hear about Jesus raising Lazarus back to life after four days of death; when we hear about how God parted an entire sea and caused the Israelite's to walk across it on dry, not muddy, ground; when we hear about God shutting the mouths of the lions when Daniel was hanging out with them - I think we lose the awe. The LORD has done awesome things throughout history --but sadly, after hearing them so much, the awesome things He has done just become some things. 

I was struck with a short phrase from the book of Acts this past week during my devotions. It's found in Acts 2, following Pentecost and Peter's sermon which the Lord used to bring 3000 people to Christ. The believers "were continually devoting themselves to the apostle's teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). And -- 
"Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe . . ." (Acts 2:43) 
A sense of awe. Realizing the magnitude of Jesus' death and resurrection on our behalf. Recognizing the miracles that take place because of the power of the Lord. Understanding that what we read in Scripture isn't just a fairy tale - it's real. To live with daily awe . . . do you think that's how the Lord desires us to live?

O LORD, fill me daily with a sense of awe: awe for who You are, for what You have done - both in history and in my life. Forgive me for growing accustomed to the incredible, awesome events recorded in Scripture. May I live each day humbled and awe-struck.

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