Scripture: Luke 5:26
All the people were beside themselves with wonder. Filled with awe, they glorified God, saying, “We’ve seen unimaginable things today.”
Thought for the Day: I love the reaction of the people in this passage. Jesus has just healed a man, and the crowd is awe-struck. Or are they? The Greek word we translate as ‘awe’ in this passage is the word phobos. You can probably guess how we use that word in English — I am claustrophobic, that is a fear of confined spaces. And yes, some have translated the above passage as “Filled with fear, they glorified God…” But do fearful people really glorify God. I picture them cowering before God or trembling before God, but not glorifying. Phobos can be translated as fear, but it also carries with it a sense of reverence and awe. I could see some people’s knees shaking simply because the WOW factor of what just occurred has shaken them to their core. Are they afraid in the sense of trepidation? I don’t think so. Throughout Christian history, those who wanted the people to fear God were almost always those who wished to control the people. The God I meet in Jesus doesn’t wish for us to live in fearful anxiety, but to live in the freedom of joy and wonder.
Prayer: May the awe I feel in the presence of your unconditional love, O God, spill forth in joy and wonderment. I pray that others see within me the true reverence I feel. Amen.
ALL CHURCH
WORKDAY
THIS SATURDAY
8:30 – 11:30am
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