Redirect The Awe

It’s easier to misplace our awe than our car keys. 

It goes like this. God does something amazing in our lives. An unexpected check in the mail. An addiction gone. A relationship healed. At that moment, we are awash in wonder and awe. The question is…where do we direct our awe? 

In the fifth chapter of Luke, we see two different examples of this. 

In the first, Jesus borrowed a boat from some fish-challenged fisherman. They would soon become his followers. But for now, their empty boat served as a platform for Jesus to address the crowd. I’ll let Luke pick up the story from here. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. Luke then added this telling comment about Simon Peter: He was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. (Luke 5:4-7,9 NLT) 

Notice where the awe was directed. At the unbelievable catch of fish.  

The second story involved Jesus healing a paralyzed man on a mat. Luke described the effect on others this way: Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!” (Luke 5:26 NLT) 

Praising God is good. But their wonder and awe was directed at amazing things.  

The danger is when our hearts grow more enamored with the gift than the Giver. When God does the miraculous, celebrate it. But be more dazzled with God than with his works. That’s how to redirect the awe.

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