Have you ever felt overwhelmed with awe during an encounter with the natural world? God’s creation is designed to reveal God to us (compare Psalm 19; Romans 1), so it is not surprising that it can produce in us feelings of awe. Whether it is breathtaking scenery, observing animal life, seeing the night sky full of stars, or watching the sheer power of a mighty storm, nature has the God-given ability to make us aware of how small we are in comparison with the universe.
Read More creation, worship, awe, beautyAs Moses and Aaron made their way back to the top of Horeb the people could hear the ‘sounds’ of God. It seemed to them that they were listening to thunder and they saw flashes of lightning. Whether or not they heard audibly God’s words for themselves is a matter of debate.
Read More obedience, power, awe, Ten Commandments
The other day I stood in our almost empty church, groggy and with a serious case of bed head. It was pre-coffee and almost pre-dawn – 7:00 am on a December Wednesday.
Our congregation, an Anglican Network in Canada church, had recently launched a traditional communion service, held really early in the morning mid-week. Those who craved this particular type of poetry of praise (as in, beautiful language and beautiful liturgy), and an intimate time with God and others, would roll out of bed a little bit earlier and come. I came.
Read More awe, humilityOver the years I’ve heard people give various reasons why they don’t believe the good news about Jesus Christ. These reasons run the gamut from the deeply personal to the loftily philosophical, from heartbreak to arrogance. Some invoke science, claiming faith and “logic” are somehow irreconcilable. Others point to the moral shortcomings of those of us who do believe, claiming the credibility gap is too wide.
Read More joy, awe, resurrection, amazement
There is a musical cadence to this psalm, evoking a picture of the psalmist as a conductor cueing each part of the natural world to join in a great celestial chorus. With a sweep of his baton he commands the stormy winds to hold the bass line. With a gentle gesture he calls upon the birds to add soprano trills. Hail adds percussive rhythm.
Read More creation, praise, joy, awe