Awesome
That word ‘awesome’ is one of the most misused words in our culture. These days, anything vaguely exciting is described as awesome. Everything from the special effects in the latest blockbuster movie to the taste of a fast-food hamburger is apparently awesome – or quite literally, worthy of awe. We hear fans tell their celebrity heroes “I’m in awe of you” – but this cannot be the case either. If these fans were truly in awe, they would be flat on their faces. The Bible tells us that awe is something reserved for God, and God alone:
Dominion and awe belong to God, (Job, 25:2)
- Matt Redman
I have delayed posting on this thing for far too long.
I think it’s a concoction of procrastination, writer’s block, confusion, and a handful of other factors kept me away from the press (WordPress that is). I actually had a lot of things that I wanted to write about such as: life as a 1L (first year law student), observations from life and books, but most of all, China.
A while back, I heard a pastor say the word “Awesome” was reserved for God and that the way “Awesome” has entered into colloquial English has very much depreciated the value of the word for it to be used for God and God alone.
With that NOT in mind, I had a conversation over pho a while back and I said Diamond Bar was awesome (which I do not retract). The colloquial definition of awesome has been reduced to “that’s really cool” or something of that nature. I guess many may disagree. These days, I doubt the average teen to 30′s american would “awesome” to be something that strikes awe in an individual.
Because the modern version of awesome is what is described above, i.e., really cool, saying awesome doesn’t really bother my conscience. But it did make me think about things or people that leave me in awe. So here’s a short list.
- Sickkk electric guitar solos (see specifically John Mayer’s Pink Pop version of Gravity)
- Live bands with a tight groove (see generally Mute Math)
- Kobe Bryant
- David Blaine
I think those guys up there are pretty awesome.
The author of Job writes this (Job 25 ESV)
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “Dominion and fear are with God;
he makes peace in his high heaven.
3 Is there any number to his armies?
Upon whom does his light not arise?
4 How then can man be in the right before God?
How can he who is born of woman be pure?
5 Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
6 how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!”
Matt Redman quoted Job 25:2 in the NIV, which says, “Dominion and awe belong to God.”
It wasn’t too long before I realized that many men are amazing, but even at the peak awe inducing abilities, they are like maggots and worms in comparison to God. Shouldn’t I be amazed and in awe of God who commands even the wind and the sea? John 4:41.
I often start my with “Lord you alone are God and worthy of all my praise.” Too often, however, I fail to consider what I’m actually saying. Aren’t these words, words indicating an effect of a cause? And wouldn’t this “cause” be something that would induce awe in me?
I can’t wait for the day I meet with my Lord face to face where I am sure that at the moment of meeting, I would fully know that there was absolutely nothing in the world before me that would have measured up to my savior. Like a speck of dust would be to the expanse of the universe, so is any man, being, and thing is to God. The more I think of the cross, creation, and community, I can’t help but be in awe of my God who died on the cross and who holds all creation in the palm of his hands.
