Living in Awe of God

“Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.”

(Psalm 65:8 NLT).

Sailor-Man and I left home early Thursday morning for yet another road trip. The wind blew and the rain pelted our car for the first three hours or so. It seemed a dismal sort of day, not unusual for late October in southwest British Columbia, but dismal disappeared when a rainbow appeared. The sight left me in awe. So did the fact that it remained visible for nearly a half hour.

I took the rainbow’s lingering presence as a visible reminder of God’s unfailing promises to me, and I reveled in the joy this thought brought. One mile rolled into another with the arch growing more brilliant and my wonder at God’s splendor growing more profound.

This road trip took us north to my youngest daughter’s home where we’re enjoying time with two grandchildren. One is three years old, the other is almost seventeen months.

One of the things I enjoy most when spending time with little people is seeing life through their eyes. They notice things I don’t—things like a ladybug’s spots, a daisy’s petals, and an ant’s activity. Their delight reawakens my awareness of minute, easily-overlooked details in creation and renews my amazement at the Creator’s ingenuity.

Living in awe of God and experiencing a daily sense of wonder about who He is and what He does often fades in adulthood.

Work and worry blind us to the miracles that surround us. We rush through our days focused on silencing the tasks calling for our attention, and we miss the delights before us.

Pondering creation’s majesty and intricacies always leaves me speechless. Sometimes the only word I can muster is, “Wow!”—like when I saw the rainbow as we drove through the mountains. But here’s what leaves me even more amazed—the Creator’s love for us.

Think about it. The Almighty, limitless God whose handiwork inspires wonder and awe is the same God who loves us and wants relationship with us.

Incredible, right? I suspect the Psalmist felt the same way when he wrote these words:

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
⁴ what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?
⁵ Yet you made them only a little lower than God
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶ You gave them charge of everything you made,
    putting all things under their authority—
⁷ the flocks and the herds
    and all the wild animals,
⁸ the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
    and everything that swims the ocean currents. (Psalm 8:3-8 NLT)

Let’s invite God to open our eyes to the wonders He’s created. Let’s celebrate His creative genius. Even more, let’s stand in awe of who He is and marvel that He loves us and wants relationship with us.

Now it’s your turn: What aspect of God’s creation or character inspires awe in your life?

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