Filled With Awe

November 22

(Luke 1:64-66 NIV) ““Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. {65} The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. {66} Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.””

(Matthew 9:5-8 NIV) ““Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? {6} But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." {7} And the man got up and went home. {8} When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.””

(Acts 2:41-43 NIV) “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. {42} They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. {43} Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.”

John’s birth was unusual because his parents were aged, and had been unable to have children. John’s name drew attention because it did not come from any relative of Zechariah or Elizabeth. This, and the fact that Zechariah praised God after nine months of silence, caused the people of the region to be filled with awe and wonder: awe at the miracle of John’s birth, and wonder about who this child might be. John was already special. God’s hand was upon him. We see the phrase, “filled with awe” used to describe Christ’s ministry of deliverance and healing. It is also used as people witnessed the miraculous work of the early church. Although many have become cynical of miracles in this scientific age, people are still filled with awe by genuine conversion. When God visibly changes a life, there is an awe that rises up in the hearts of people. Be an “awe producing” disciple today. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day