“Our God is
an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love, our
God is an awesome God!” This chorus has been sung countless times in
Churches, events, and gatherings for many years. It has touched the lives of
millions. You may be quite familiar with this song “Awesome God” by the late
Rich Mullins.
Yes,
our God is awesome. Nehemiah 1:5 and
4:14, are two verses that declare, “…Lord God of Heaven, O great and awesome
God…Remember the Lord, great and awesome….” But, have we ever stopped to
consider the true meaning behind the Biblical use of the word “awesome” in
reference to God the Father?
The
Hebrew word that translates to “awesome” is derived from a verb meaning “to
fear.” The good news, is this word “fear” does NOT mean “frightening” or to be
afraid of something. Rather, it is the nature of one’s heart and soul that
inspires reverence or godly awe. This type of “fear” is
closely synonymous with godly living.
Think
of it this way….where worldly and ordinary “fear” can be paralyzing and
traumatizing, we can find peace, contentment and the ability to be obedient and
fruitful Christians when we have developed godly fear as an attribute in our lives.
Having
godly fear will empower us to reject sin, apathy, and selfishness in order to live
above the world’s standards. Having a proper understanding of godly fear will
help us to live in ways that please God. Psalm
128:1, says “Blessed are all who fear
the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.”
Our
God is awesome and worthy of our fear! A fear where we are never afraid of
running away from God, but a fear that inspires us to run towards Him because of His
great love, purpose and plans for us. This alone, makes me want to not only
love Him in return, but to obey Him and submit to His ways, and fulfill the
purpose for which I was created. Yes, our God is an awesome God!