2013-08-09 - Awe

Originally Published 2008-04-23

Guys, have you ever seen a drop dead gorgeous girl walk by and a friend had to pick your jaw up off the floor? Ladies, has a fine looking man ever strutted past and you've just stood there with your eyes bugging out? Have you ever seen anything so mind-blowing that it just left you stupefied and speechless?

If you said yes to any of these questions, then you have a small sense of what it means to be in awe of someone. We may even describe those people or events as awesome but that is just a bit of what true awesomeness is like. God is truly awesome. He is worthy of us greatly admiring him.

Psalms 33:8b - Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

The dictionary defines awe as "an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder". The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes awe as "fear mingled with reverence and wonder, a state of mind inspired by something terrible or sublime". It goes on to describe how the underlying word is translated in various ways but in almost all cases, "the word stands for man's attitude of reverential fear toward God. This is the characteristic attitude of the pious soul toward God in the Scriptures, especially in the Old Testament. It arises from a consciousness of the infinite power, sublimity and holiness of God, which fills the mind with the 'fear of the Lord,' and a dread of violating His law."

As I read in the book of Revelation of his glory and magnificence that will one day be revealed to the whole world, I marvel. I stand there stupefied. I wonder to myself how be it that I serve this king and do it so grudgingly at times? How is it that I can turn my affections from him and towards sin? How can I look at pornography when I have before me a picture of my God and King? How can I treat others poorly when I represent him on earth? How can I sit and watch mindless hours of TV when the creator of the universe wants to speak to me if only I will stop and listen?

Take some time today to dwell on his splendor and majesty. You cannot help but be awe-struck. Then just stand there before the Lord in silence and be amazed. Think of who he is; study his nature. Then live for Him.

IHFHBOH
Adam

adam@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All scripture references from KJV unless otherwise noted