WOW!

Staying in a place of awe or being WOWED by God is the key to childlike worship. Paul in his letter to the Romans writes that way better than I did! 

Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable His judgements, and His paths beyond tracing out! 

"Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been His counselor?"

"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay Him?"

For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. 

To Him be the glory forever! Amen.    ~Romans 11:33-38

Maybe it's because I've officially reached middle aged status. Maybe it's because I'm now a parent who has to have the answer and solution for all things and often feel like I'm scrambling for wisdom. I don't know why...but I'm at this place with God that the more I know about Him, the less I know. I feel this great caution in holding a mentality of solid rightness in my understanding of God. Obviously, by experience and study I "know" God. I know He is love. I know He is holy. I know He is mercy, forgiveness, salvation, etc. But each of these aspects of His character are vast universes within themselves. I sit here on a Mount Munson size (Monroe reference!) level of understanding in comparison to the universal depths of who He is.  

Amazement, humble amazement is so necessary in our relationship with Jesus. It's so vital to cultivating a worshiper's heart. The constant, daily realization that I don't know His mind, I don't know how vast His abilities - power, sovereignty - must remain forever in front of me or I will become an arrogant, judgmental theologian that our culture assumes all Christians are. 

This week I've been reading about the life of Elisha. Elijah's ministry was all about power, and big dramatic supernatural displays of God's sovereignty in front of kings and the nation of Israel. Elisha's ministry though, while filled with the power of God, took place more on the individual level. Elisha ministered to people's hearts and situations that more impacted their daily life. His ministry met the practical level - the hungry, the hurting, the routines of life. This is challenging me. I think I spend much time waiting to be wowed by the bigness of God, the big events, the big changes. But really, I need God in the small, day-to-day things. I need God when my kid is struggling at school or with friends. I need God when my friend is discouraged. I need God in house decisions. I need God's words and compassion when talking with my neighbors and people out in my community. I'm rarely wowed by those parts of God, because quite frankly I'm realizing I don't ask Him to wow me in the small things! How faithful does God desire to be to me and through me to others? How small is too small to invite Him to invade me?

I know the people of Israel compared Elijah to John the Baptist and Elisha to Jesus. It makes more sense to me now why they did that. Jesus met the individual. He invaded personal need, personal pain, personal lack of understanding. Jesus' ministry was very practical - "feed the hungry, clothe the poor, heal the sick." And the people were wowed. The people worshiped. The people gave thanks. Jesus was made known throughout the entire nation. 

I woke up this morning feeling pretty disappointed, but not surprised, by today's election results. I feel so strongly that the church is fighting the wrong fight. Hearts will never be changed by laws or proposals. Laws and proposals do not hold this amount of power.  I will vote for Godly people and laws.  But they will never save the sinking ship of this world. But hearts will be changed by Jesus. Maybe if we start BEING Jesus more than we DEFEND Jesus the hearts of people will actually be changed.  Maybe if we take up the simplistic yet profound ministry of Jesus - feed the hungry, clothe the poor, heal the sick - people will actually meet Jesus and the government will not have to stand in the place or function that was originally given to the people of God. 

To wow people with Jesus, we must live constantly wowed and amazed by Him. These are the stories we will have to tell others about Him. To the extent that we are wowed by God is the extent we will worship and come to Him like little children. What has God done today? Do you see Him? Do you hear Him? Nothing is too small to ask Him to invade. Nothing. 




Comments

  1. Very encouraging words Holly, thank you! Praise the Lord God Almighty for he will use what the enemy meant for evil for good!

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