It's All About Him

The first Christians were described as feeling a sense of awe (Acts 2:42-47). In Acts, it seems that there was an excitement to assemble together, even on the days besides Sunday. It has been only on rare occasions in my Christian life that I have felt a sense of awe among the community of faith. In each and every occasion when this happen, it was clearly a work of God and devoid of any man-made manufacturing. Every time it was when a group of Christians were gathered together who, more than anything else, wanted to know God, serve Him and love Him more. We all arrived with an attitude of seeking God with all our hearts. I have been in a few churches where there was a clear sense of awe. New conversations were happening, the pastor had an unusual passion and faith, the messages were totally Bible-based which fostered continual learning, and something was in the air. This is how it ought to be. There was an unusual faith and expectation which the people of the church possessed. The awe is something intangible. No program, background music, or other artificial means can generate such an awe. Picking a peppy song to begin worship with to get people 'into it' is not going to create awe. It is the work of the Spirit reviving His people to sanctified lives and then filling them to worship and serve Him that can do this. Having zeal and preaching the Word is a start, but it is insufficient unless the Spirit fills and moves.

I think the biggest thing we do as churches which keeps this awe-inspiring encounter away is that we don't make the service first and foremost about God. We don't approach God in fear and trembling. There is something about how we worship that is much too casual for being in the presence of a holy and all-powerful God. Awe is not merely something that we fell. It is a trembling in our spirits before the wonder and majesty of the King of Kings. It is a joy that overwhelms us because the God who is all powerful loved us and died for us. It is all about Him. When we get consumed with God, we must necessarily be purified and overcome with an awe that He would choose to love us. There are times in Scripture where the apostle Paul spontaneously breaks out into doxology, praising God for who He is and what He has done. Such instances of praising always follow an explanation of theology and doctrine. It is worship in spirit and in truth that draws our hears heavenward toward God. Hearts free from outstanding sin and minds filled with the Word of God are central to encountering the awesomeness of God. How worthy He is of our praise, honour, glory and thanksgiving. This is what we will sing when we are in heaven. We will be utterly taken by His wonder and glory. It will have nothing to do with us, what we can do for God, or any musical rendition that we can conjure up.

- Brent Barnett