Are you still in awe that you're Mine?

Today: Psalm 32-35

The bride walked down the aisle, arm-in-arm with her dad. She was breathtakingly beautiful--with angelic blonde curls and a beaming smile. I love watching brides walk down the aisle, but I also adore looking at the grooms' faces. This groom's face had the perfect look of happiness/awe/amazement that this gorgeous woman--my former roommate Hannah--was going to marry him.

As I watched Hannah and Matt get married this afternoon, I was reminded of the church service I attended this morning.* At one point, the pastor asked the congregation, "Are you still in awe of being God's people?" Sometimes God personalizes the question even further and asks, "Are you still in awe that you're Mine?"

I think David felt that sense of wonder at different points in his life. In today's passage, here's what grabbed my attention:

The skies were made by God's command;

he breathed the word and the stars popped out.

He scooped Sea into his jug,

put Ocean in his keg.

Earth-creatures, bow before God;

world-dwellers—down on your knees!

Here's why: he spoke and there it was,

in place the moment he said so.

Wow! The God who breathed the stars and scooped out the seas has called you and me His. Talk about awe-inspiring!

I think many times, when we're little kids or perhaps when we're new believers in God, we have that sense of awe that I saw in Matt's eyes today. We're amazed that the Creator of the universe loves us, knows us and chose us.

There is an awesome power in wedding day love. It's love that's new and beautiful. But if that sense of awe remains 50 years from today--if it's there when both Hannah and Matt are grey and wrinkled after weathering life's joys and challenges, it will be a different kind of beautiful. It will be like a couple I saw dancing at their wedding--a man and woman in their 70s who danced a beautiful waltz-style to all the Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and Michael Jackson music played at the reception. This couple didn't seem to care about the music or what other people thought--they just kept dancing. They only saw each other. They were still in awe-filled love.

Lord, let us be in awe that we're Yours--today, 50 years from today and forever.

Tomorrow: Psalm 36-39



*Today I was inspired by the message, people and worship of Langley Evangelical Free Church in Langley, BC, Canada.

The wonder of growth

Today: 2 Peter

I've been up since 4:00 AM this morning...and now it's 11:20 PM (in my current timezone). It's been a long day of traveling in airports and on airplanes. I really don't travel a lot, but today I realized just how used to it I'm getting...and maybe not in a good way.

I had this realization while sitting on my last flight, across the aisle from a young boy who was about five years old. When the airline safety video played, I was reading a magazine, while he sat mesmerized. When the plane took off, I was still reading the magazine while he strained his head to peek out the window. And when we landed at our destination, I was waking up from a nap while he exclaimed, "WHOA! That was AWESOME! How did it do that? I've never seen that before!"

The little boy was filled with the wonder of flying, while I was just wondering when I'd finally reach my hotel, grab dinner and check my office e-mail.

I think sometimes our relationships with God can be like our relationships with flying. In today's passage, Peter talked about the importance of continually growing:

So don't lose a minute

in building on what you've been given,

complementing your basic faith

with good character,

spiritual understanding,

alert discipline,

passionate patience,

reverent wonder,

warm friendliness,

and generous love,

each dimension fitting into and developing the others.

With these qualities active and growing in your lives,

no grass will grow under your feet,

no day will pass without its reward

as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus.

Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you,

oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

Peter's message here rings so true today in light of my experience today with a little boy on an airplane (who was even wearing the plastic "wings" pin!). God deserves my reverent wonder...if I lose it and stop growing, I begin to take Him for granted. I'll miss the blessings in front of my face and become oblivious to the sheer gift that is salvation. I never want that to happen.

And on my next flight, I may strain to peek out the window, clap when the plane lands or ask for some plastic wings. Why not?

P.S. Dear blog followers--I'm on the road this week and may have unreliable Internet access. However, I promise I'll write daily and eventually get everything on the site...just know that the postings may be a little delayed.