Awe

I might have written out this thought before, but I’m going to write it again. It’s one that I can stand to remember, without a doubt.

I must not lose my sense of awe.

My kids love airplanes. They may see nothing more than a vapor trail high in the sky, but they still get excited because they know it’s an airplane. The most significant aspect of this excitement, however, is the fact that plenitude does not decrease the fascination.

We used to live very near the Memphis airport. If nothing else, FedEx planes were taking off and landing in close succession. It was rare to go more than a couple of minutes without seeing a plane. In fact, it was rare for there to not be a plane in sight at any given moment. Even so, the kids’ fascination did not wane. In fact, they hungered for more. They would ask that we drive near the airport as often as possible so they could see all of the parked planes as well!

We have not lived near an airport in two and a half years, so they don’t see airplanes nearly as frequently. The variety of planes they see, however, has increased. We no longer are limited to FedEx, UPS, and passenger planes. Now we get to add aircraft from the Little Rock Air Force Base to the list. And, living in farm country, crop dusters are plentiful. In fact, shortly after moving to Almyra, Steven found a crop duster book in the church library, and it quickly became a favorite of his. We see more helicopters, as well.

Awe and excitement are beautiful things. They can distract from sadness. They can still arguments. They can unify hearts. They can quiet complaints. For my children, just one glimpse of an aircraft can turn a sour day into a beautiful one.

The thing about aircraft sightings, though, is that they are not guaranteed. They are not consistent. One day there may be many. The next several days there may be none.

But there is something that should fill us with awe and excitement that is guaranteed to be near to all who have open eyes. The presence of God.

Even more than my children and airplanes, we should never, ever lose our awe over God, His works, and His very presence. No matter how many times we read His Word or see His work, we should never cease to be filled with excitement. It should never become commonplace or mundane. It should instead always be the ultimate source of our greatest excitement.

Has your awe dimmed? Have you lost a vision for the amazing works of God? Seek His presence again. Ask Him to restore your awe. And may you find the excitement of a child as you watch Him accomplish His work in, through, and around you.