I watched in amazement as Abe circled the tree, stumbling through the cork landscape material, thinking of my answer and formulating his next question. He asked, “How did the first people get here? I mean, how could they be born?” Abe, I said, God took dirt and formed Adam from the ground and he breathed life in him. God created Adam and Eve from the ground.” He received my answer and went on to the next question. Later we were in a shed looking at tools. I held long handled pliers and told him, “this tool was hand made using the old forge. It held the chunk of steel that was being heated in the fire so the men’s hands wouldn’t get burned.” Abe, perked up and said, “that is what I’m asking, how did the first tool get made? I want to know how the first of everything got made!” I was in awe.

People followed Jesus with amazement in their hearts. They were in awe at the works of his hand and the words of his mouth. The word “awe” is used sparingly in Scripture. Awe can mean “fear and trembling,” but in the following verses it means “an overwhelming feeling of reverence.”

And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today." Luke 5:26 ESV, Matthew 9:8 NIV Y el asombro se apoderó de todos y glorificaban a Dios; y se llenaron de temor, diciendo: Hoy hemos visto cosas extraordinarias. Luke 5:26

They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." Luke 7:16 NIV

Jesus’ followers did not run away in fear, they watched in awe because they were drawn to the work of God in Christ Jesus.  Are we in awe of the work of God? Can we see deeply into the words of Scripture, the words of the Christ and know that they are for us? Do we allow Christ’s healing word and work in our lives? Or do we keep Christ at an arm’s length or run in fear? Do we cower away, thinking we want to control just how much the Messiah works in our lives? Do we see Christ’s work in others and think it cannot possibly be “for me”?

We allow so many things to cloud our vision. Christ calls us to allow him to remove the deadness from our lives and the scales from our eyes and allow him to raise us up in his flesh, in his life. He lived a perfect life, suffered died and rose in our place. He mercifully places us in his body for healing, refreshment, and life. He places us together to build one another up in Jesus’ name.

We give incrementally; Christ gives exponentially. We offer with reservation; Christ gives without reservation. As we learn to rest our full weight on him, we see his rich gifts for us. As we are called by Christ to receive, our eyes, ears, lips, hearts and souls begin to grasp that this is not our work, it is his. This can cause great fear, a desire to run the other way, because we are not in control. God calls us to stand in awe, to draw closer, and to allow him to work an overwhelming feeling of reverence for his work.

God’s call is for you; God’s call is for me. We are not alone. He stands with us, he carries us, and he feeds us with his life, his word and living water. May God grant us courage to allow his life, his word and the living water to permeate our existence. May God grant us eyes to see clearly, ears to hear purely, hearts to receive and souls to discern his work. May God’s peace be with us so that the awe he brings would not frighten us but allow us to rest in him. Blessings IN Christ, Cindy

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