One of my dearest friends and I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Let’s not forget Liechtenstein! One of the tiniest, yet richest little countries there is. I must admit that if you blink on the bus you might miss it, but we stopped there and I’m counting it! These were all countries we had never seen before so our Germanic journey was filled with awe and wonderment for new places and spectacular scenery – and of course FUN! Evonne and I always have a good time together. We’ve always had that uncanny ability to know what the other one is thinking and laugh, laugh, laugh. We’ve been friends since the second grade and you can just guess how long that’s been, but I’ll never tell!
I love traveling with Evonne because not only do we enjoy life, we both appreciate the One who gives it! We see God’s hand everywhere we go. When we visit a castle high up in the mountains we think of God being our fortress.
When we see a majestic view, we think of the one who created it. The views of the Alps are some of the most majestic views you will ever see. They are truly awe inspiring!
A Webster’s definition of awe is “veneration or wonder inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime.” Perhaps living in a computer generated world, used to 3-D effects can make us desensitized to the beauty around us. As children we were amazed by yellow daffodils and mesmerized by watching ants carry ten times their weight across the yard. Too soon we become jaded and take our sunsets for granted. We no longer see a colorful sky radiant with colorful reddish, pinkish, orange hues; we just wish the sun would go down so the light will stop shining in our eyes while we’re trying to drive. Somewhere along the way we lose our awe.
Awe truly can nourish our souls and help us live better lives. Stanford University and University of Minnesota researchers have discovered that “gazing at a beautiful landscape or listening to a majestic symphony may make people feel less rushed, more patient and more compassionate towards others.” They found that a sense of awe has a major impact on everyday decision making. People who can recall awesome moments are more likely to volunteer, do charity work, and spend their money on experiences rather on material goods. Participants in the study reported that small doses of awe give a boost in life satisfaction.
We as Christians can sometimes be guilty of losing our awe of God, His creation, and the blessings He bestows. Hebrews 12:28 tell us, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptable with reverence and awe.”
There is a fine line in our relationship with God between awe and familiarity.
Yes, God is our friend and father. He wants us to feel close enough to Him to be honest and discuss anything. However, He doesn’t want to be taken for granted. No one does. After all, God is our creator. Job tells us that dominion and awe belong to God (Job 25:2). God is also our fortress, high tower, sustainer, giver of every good gift – the list goes on and on. When we lose sight of this awe we fail to see God as he really is – a truly awesome God!
