Living in Awe.

I grew up hearing people talk about being "in awe" of God.  It was such a weird thing for me to fathom because "awe" is not an emotion I often experience.  I admire a painting, but I'm not in awe of it.  I'm impressed by an athlete, but I'm not in awe of them.  I love God, but I'm not in awe of Him.  At least I haven't been - until Friday.

I think this is because I've often mistaken awe for an exhausting or belittling thing.  Like in order to stand in awe, I'd need to become less of a person.

But it's not like that..  

It's more like being willing to be amazed. To not know so much that you are unimpressed. To let the common things blow your mind from time to time. Friday I saw a bird.

I was driving to school (I'm a teacher), and it was dark.  That dusky kind of dark that happens when the sun is being held captive behind a hedge of cloud.  As I drove, a large, long bird soared across the road over my head.  The world seemed to freeze for a moment.

Awe.

The God who made that bird - who taught it how to fly - that same God loved me enough to put a calling on my life.  Put a calling, and see it through.  I'm exactly where I need to be.  I've never been so sure.  The God of the universe did that for me.  I'm important, but I'm small; and I'm okay with that.

If this isn't awe, then I don't know what is.