Recently I wrote about being in awe of God. With more thoughts along that vein, I understand that the more intellectually we approach the Bible and our faith really the less in awe we are in of God. We will see less and less wonder about what God does.
It is also true that the closer we get to ministry the tougher it sometimes is to stay close to Jesus. The case before us is the disciples. They saw it all. They experienced what Jesus could do and how much He loved. But they were sometimes so close that they couldn't see for themselves. Ministry is like that. It may become routine. It may seem we have heard that story or that experience that piece before. That leaves us less touched, in less awe.
Think about kids and how they see things for the first time. They are in awe. My kids recently played in the snow, and it was the largest snow they have ever seen. Watching my son and one of his friends last Sunday slide down an ice covered hill was priceless. They were in awe.
Are we in awe of God? Or are we too close to see what God is doing? Take this example and this about it:
Mark 4:39-41 (The Message)
39-40Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?"
41They were in absolute awe, staggered. "Who is this, anyway?" they asked. "Wind and sea at his beck and call!"
The disciples thought they were going to die when the storm came up on the sea their boat was traveling across. But Jesus is able to care for them. They missed who Jesus was because they were so close to Him. That last verse left me thinking about the fact that I must find myself in more awe than I have ever been before. I need to slow down when I read the Bible. I must listen closer as I hear God speak. I must open my eyes wider and longer when I see Him work.
That will leave me in more awe of Him. Plus I pray that those moments will allow others to be in awe of God as well. Lets be careful that being so close to Jesus doesn't make us dull to what He is doing.
Comments