Amazed?
When did we stop being amazed?
This is a question that has hung over me since reading Matt 9 in the prayer meeting this week. In this chapter we read of some amazing healings and callings, all of which occurred because people’s faith transcended from being just words into actions. In the middle of all this we read:
“When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.” (Matt 9: 8 AMP)
In The Message it says that the people were ‘amazed’.
Amazed!
When was the last time you were amazed by God? I mean so amazed you were filled with ‘fear and awe’.
‘Amazed’ has the word ‘maze’ at the centre of it. A maze is a confusing and tangled network of paths that leave your head spinning, but ultimately they lead to the centre – the goal. When we are amazed at God a similar thing happens; our thoughts do not know which way to turn, every direction makes no more sense than the last one, and the suddenly there we are, in the centre, in God’s presence and it all becomes clear – but it still feels like too much to take in.
Being amazed is exciting, thrilling and terrifying; it means that something we can’t explain – and may never truly be able to explain – has just occurred.
I remember being truly amazed with God on a few occasions; things I had seen that shook me up positively.
In a prayer meeting at the beginning of the year our Pastor reminded us of all the healings that God had done among us the year before – it averaged at 2 or so a month. This was amazing! But then he reminded us that nothing had happened since November, it was as though we had got caught up with all the preparations for Christmas that our expectations had faded – for a moment we had forgotten our amazement and we hadn’t grieved about its absence!
Lord, you do not need to amaze me – you are amazing! Help me recognise you – in holy fear and awe – and in obedience follow you. Help me work my faith out in actions more than words that you would be recognised in Newport. Amaze us – amaze our rationally cynical minds, amaze our hardened hearts. Amen.
“The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.” (Matt 9:8 MSG)
This is a question that has hung over me since reading Matt 9 in the prayer meeting this week. In this chapter we read of some amazing healings and callings, all of which occurred because people’s faith transcended from being just words into actions. In the middle of all this we read:
“When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.” (Matt 9: 8 AMP)
In The Message it says that the people were ‘amazed’.
Amazed!
When was the last time you were amazed by God? I mean so amazed you were filled with ‘fear and awe’.
‘Amazed’ has the word ‘maze’ at the centre of it. A maze is a confusing and tangled network of paths that leave your head spinning, but ultimately they lead to the centre – the goal. When we are amazed at God a similar thing happens; our thoughts do not know which way to turn, every direction makes no more sense than the last one, and the suddenly there we are, in the centre, in God’s presence and it all becomes clear – but it still feels like too much to take in.Being amazed is exciting, thrilling and terrifying; it means that something we can’t explain – and may never truly be able to explain – has just occurred.
I remember being truly amazed with God on a few occasions; things I had seen that shook me up positively.
In a prayer meeting at the beginning of the year our Pastor reminded us of all the healings that God had done among us the year before – it averaged at 2 or so a month. This was amazing! But then he reminded us that nothing had happened since November, it was as though we had got caught up with all the preparations for Christmas that our expectations had faded – for a moment we had forgotten our amazement and we hadn’t grieved about its absence!
Lord, you do not need to amaze me – you are amazing! Help me recognise you – in holy fear and awe – and in obedience follow you. Help me work my faith out in actions more than words that you would be recognised in Newport. Amaze us – amaze our rationally cynical minds, amaze our hardened hearts. Amen.
“The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.” (Matt 9:8 MSG)
- Andrew Carey
posted by Andrew at 10:02 am
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