Awesome!

It’s a word that is used every day so casually, it is hardly ever noticed.  A friend walks up and says that he just won free tickets to a concert.  “Awesome!” is the response.  A basketball player makes a game winning shot from past half-court.  “What an awesome play!” the announcers shout.  A child receives an A in her first spelling test.  “That’s awesome!” an enthusiastic dad says, smiling.  But while these things are enjoyable or even amazing, are they really awesome?

Because the word “awesome” is often defined as “inspiring awe,” an understanding of the word “awe” must also be established.  In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “awe” is defined as “an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime.”

While the word “awesome” is a word often used in the younger generations, it is not in any way a new word.   One of the first instances of the word in literature would probably be in the Hebrew Bible when Jacob awakens from his dream saying, “”How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:17)  The word “awe” appears a total of 51 times in the Bible, but interestingly, despite all the heroic figures found in the Bible, the word “awe” is never used to describe people’s reaction to them (or anyone else), but only for God.

Throughout the Bible, God is praised for his “awesome deeds,” his “awesome name,” and his “awesome wonders.”  The Bible goes so far as to say, “Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven.” (Job 25:2)

However, why is it that the Bible refers solely to God as one who inspires “awe?”  Is it even possible for a human to be “awesome” in any way?  The truth is, God is the only being who can qualify for the use of the word awe.  What other being can be described as inspiring fear and dread?  God’s wrath is a fearful thing and his power is amazing!  Who has supreme authority over the universe?  Who else is truly sacred or sublime?  When one considers it, there is no one other than God who could fit that description.

However, if there is no other thing, person, or act other than God and his works that could truly be described as “awesome,” why is it such a common word used to describe practically anything good these days?  The reason is that the depth of meaning to the word has been reduced over the decades, perhaps because our culture has lost a sense of the grandeur of God.  The word has come to be interchangeable with words like, “amazing,” “spectacular,” “grand,” “overwhelming,” “breathtaking,” “remarkable,” and “splendid” as any thesaurus would attest to.  However, these words are much less powerful  than the word “awesome.”  A catch at the outfield wall to preserve a pitcher’s perfect game might be described as “remarkable,” but does it inspire fear and dread?  Winning the lottery might be described as “spectacular,” but it is mere chance – what authority is there in that?  A new pop song may be described as “amazing,” but is it sacred?

The meaning of the word has been lost over the centuries, but to many, it makes little difference.  Many mindlessly continue to use the word to describe things unworthy of the word.  The problem is that many don’t understand what continuing to use the word to describe anything other than God and His works does.  By diluting the word, we actually diminish the praise that God rightfully deserves.  If people begin to use the word casually to describe everyday events, there is no room in their minds for the even greater awesomeness of God.   Do they liken God’s awesomeness to a good movie?  To a good day?  While using the word “awesome” in an ordinary way would not be considered a sin (as the use of God’s name in vain is), people have become unaware of what they are saying.  As the word “awesome” is weakened, so people’s perceptions of God’s glory become reduced.

A Wasted Life

It’s been nearly a year since I read The Great Gatsby for my AP Literature class.  Off hand, I couldn’t tell you now the last name of the narrator, all of the major themes, or the motifs, but there is one scene that I can still remember very clearly (and I hope I’m not spoiling this for anyone.  If I am, skip to the next paragraph): Jay Gatsby’s funeral.  Nick, the narrator of the story, is desperate to have at least some of Gatsby’s “friends” come to the funeral.  However, no one is available to come.  One person has a picnic, another is on vacation, and the hundreds that “flocked” to his house every Saturday for his parties are suddenly too busy to even bid farewell to the man who hosted them year-round.   In the end, the only people at the funeral are Nick, Gatsby’s father, and the minister who is performing the service.

In many ways, people would consider Gatsby’s life a wasted one.  He spent his life chasing someone who wasn’t even worthy of his love and, in the end, there was no one who cared whether he was dead or alive.

The topic of wasting one’s life is not an uncommon one when it comes to teens.  It seems like everyone is telling teens to “not waste your life” because “time goes faster than you would think.”  There have been plenty of books published on the topic, from Don’t Waste Your Life (an appropriate title) by John Piper to Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris.  However, I think it’s something that we as teens continually miss.

The fact of the matter is, we only have so long on earth.  Before we know it, our teen years are over and we’re in our twenties, then our thirties, then suddenly we’re middle aged, and then we’re old!  We don’t even have the guarantee of out-living our teens.  Every second, every minute, every day is a gift and it’s important that we put our gift of life to good use.

When teens hear the words, “Don’t waste your life,” though, I think that there is a temptation for them to think that the only way they can not waste their lives is by solving world hunger or by starting some organization that save the lives of a million children in Africa, and that’s great!  If that’s what you feel God is calling you to do in your life and that’s the purpose He’s given you, then go for it!  However, I think in many ways, God is calling us to a different purpose in life – perhaps not something quite as glamorous as solving world hunger, but something equally important to Him.

I think the first step in not wasting your life is simply not wasting your time.  I’d encourage you to reevaluate how you spend your time (Do you spend more time on Facebook or meditation of God’s word?  In your free time, are you distracted by all the things you want to do, more than how you can serve your family?).  This is an area where I always seem to fall short.  However, I think if we truly have a desire to live our lives to God’s glory, we will want to spend every moment that we have working to fulfill His purpose in our lives instead of wasting our time on pointless things that are fading away.

A Good God

Imagine this: a god who picks favorites, who delights in being “mysterious,” who one minute might be blessing you and another minute striking you with lightning, a god who holds grudges, or a god who simply doesn’t care about you at all – doesn’t even look your way. What a hopeless and frightening picture that would be!

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how easy it is for us to take for granted that God is good. Something that distinguishes Christianity from other religions is that our God actually cares about us – He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. I find it so easy to treat the truth that God is good flippantly. I think, “Oh yeah, definitely God is good. I mean He’s God, why wouldn’t He be good?” But really, God is the most powerful being in the universe. If he were not a good God, then not only would we be doomed to hell (because an uncaring or evil god would never send his son to die for us), but life would be a living hell. God could make life miserable for us – it’s within his power – but his gracious love and goodness undergirds His power.

I am so thankful that God isn’t like man. If I had the power that God has, I think I would be tempted to lash out at people who hurt me or zap anyone who offends me. But God is above the petty ways of man. I am continually amazed by his love and goodness and in awe of His kindness in being our Good Shepherd.

His Strength in Our Weakness

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Corinthians 12:9a

I don’t know about you, but as spring comes and I have just made it through 7 months of school, I definitely don’t have the strength, energy, and drive I had at the beginning of the year.  As I look at the calendar and see that only a month remains between now and my AP tests, I suddenly feel very weak and inadequate.  I’ve had my own sort of “March Madness” and I definitely don’t feel ready to take on April’s showers.  But there’s something I’ve been noticing in my quiet times lately: simply, I’m not alone.

As I read through my Bible, I keep coming across those well-known Biblical heroes: Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Hannah, Saul, and David… These “Bible heroes” have always seemed so strong — I mean, David killed Goliath, Saul conqered thousands, Hannah had faith in God to give her a son (Samuel), Gideon conquered the Mideonites with only 300 men, Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery, and Joseph saved an entired country from famine!  But I’ve got something in common with all of them: I’m weak just like they were.

It’s something that never particularly stood out to me before — the people God used to accomplish the most for him were the weakest.  Think about it for a second.  Think about these “Biblical heroes.”  They were weak!  Joseph (the second to youngest son of Jacob — also a younger son) was a slave!  But that didn’t stop God from using him to save Egypt and Israel.  Moses said of himself, “I am slow of speech and tongue,” and begged God to “send someone else to do it,” (Exodus 4:10,13) but God still used him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  Look at Gideon of the “weakest clan of Manasseh, and the weakest in [his]family,” or Hannah who was barren, or Saul who was from the smallest tribe, Benjamin, and of the least important clan, or David — the youngest son of Jesse and still a boy when defeating Goliath.  None of these “heroes” had impressive backgrounds, resumés, or abilities, but that didn’t stop God from using them.  In fact, God delighted in showing himself strong through their weakness.

How does this apply to our day-to-day lives now though?  Just seeing how God works through weakness should be an encouragement.  If you, like me, are feeling weak or inadequate, it isn’t a weakness; it’s a reminder and an opportunity — a reminder that we are not meant to be self-sufficient and an opportunity for God to show himself strong and faithful in our weakness.

Let’s Act: Be Prepared!

Nate: I don’t believe that God can be a God of love and a God of judgment.  He has to be one or the other. 

Dan: Well, you know, I think it’s possible to be both.

Nate: Why?

Dan: Because the Bible says so.

Nate: What makes you think the Bible is true?

Dan: Because God says so and he never lies.

Nate: Where does it say that?

Dan: In the Bible.

Nate: What makes you think the Bible is true?…

And on and on it goes. Am I the only one who ever runs across these discussions full of circular reasoning?  Are these weak arguments ultimately all that Christianity stands on? 

Let’s Think: Communication with Parents

When was the last time you talked in-depth with your parents about things going on in your life?  Yesterday?  Last week?  Last month?  Maybe you’ve tried, but they simply don’t want to be a part of your life.  I know there are some parents like that.  But, more often than not, I think we tend to be the ones shutting them out.  I know I did.

Let’s Talk: The Purpose of Life

“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” — Robert Byrne

I saw this quote the other day, and I started wondering, what is the purpose in my life?  What marks a life worthwhile?  When I die, what do I want to be known for?

I think it’s important for us to think about these questions, especially as we begin to make decisions that will influence our future lives.  When we’re living with a purpose in mind, it will help to guide our choices.  As I thought about what my purpose in life is, I also ran across a quote by J.I. Packer:

What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance…. What higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?

This is what my purpose should be: “that [I] may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, [and] growing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:10)

How would you define your life purpose?

Let’s Talk: Elephants, Blind men, and Religion

” ‘I’m still stuck on this exclusive thing,” [Gregg said] “I’ve always thought that the blind-men-and-the-elephant story was a pretty good explanation for the differences in religion.’

‘You mean the one about the six blind guys who all find an elephant?’ [Bob asked.] ‘They think they know what a whole elephant looks like.’

‘Right.  One guy’s got only the tail so he thinks an elephant is like a snake.  And another guy’s got only the tusk so he thinks an elephant is like a spear.  Isn’t that what different religions are like — parts of the whole?’ (excerpt from Corner Conversations by Randy Newman)

This is another question I’ve encountered a lot in conversations with my friends.  Is there really just one true religion?  Don’t we all just grasp parts of the whole? 

Book Corner: Why Believe the Bible?

Just as a resource, if you have questions about whether the Bible is relevant, reliable, and true, or if you’re interested in looking further into the subject, there’s a great little book (no more than 40 pages) called Why Believe the Bible? by John Blanchard.  It explores many of the traditional objections to the Bible and backs it’s answers logically and with scientific studies.  It’s an interesting, but easy read that can be read in one sitting.  In the description, John Blanchard says: 

The Bible is the most revered book in the world; it is also the most reviled.

Millions of people turn to it every day to find inspiration and direction for their lives, yet for 2,000 years no other book has been so hated, vilified and attacked. Many of its translators have been persecuted, tortured and murdered, and countless copies of their work have been banned or destroyed.

Yet for many people the Bible is neither loved nor loathed; it is nothing more than an ancient religious document that raises a host of questions. How can we know that the present text is anything like the original? Is it anything more than folklore? How can such an old book be relevant in the twenty-first century? Has science not taken its place as an explanation of the world and our place in it?

Here are the answers.”

Let’s Talk the Bible: Contradictions?

One of the most frequent ways people brush off the question Why don’t you believe the Bible? is simply answering, “It’s full of contradictions.”  You may have even said this before yourself.  But here’s a question for you: have you just accepted the fact that people say there are contradictions in the Bible or have you actually read through the Bible, found apparent contradictions, and thoroughly researched them before coming to your conclusion?