It has been a long time since I’ve been to the mountains… I think the last time Hubby and I passed through was on our way to Whitefish, MT on our 20th anniversary, six years ago. I have only been out that way less than I can count on my one hand but each time I have, I am in awe of the grandeur and beauty they display!
I remember the first time I’d ever been to the mountains was when I was 15 years old. Dad and Mom sprung a surprise weekend getaway on my sister and I for a family trip to Banff on Thanksgiving Weekend back in the late 80s. It was the most awe-inspiring feeling I could ever have. The mountains took my breath away. I felt so small. Yet, in another beautiful way, life felt so big! And to top it off, my greatest thought was “wonder” in that God would create such a vast array of rugged beauty.
When I’m in the mountains, I feel really close to God. His immeasurable greatness speaks volumes to be there. I feel His power. I feel His strength. And I feel His awesomeness.
Awesome. That word has lost its bigness today. It’s just another form of expression we use to show excitement or encouragement. Little Sweet Pea could tell me, “Mom, I cleaned my room today.” And I could reply, “That’s awesome.” I was meaning, I’m really happy or proud of you for cleaning your room but in reality, I used a word that should be reserved for something truly awe-inspiring that it takes my breath away. Some parents may actually be able to use the word in the awe-inspiring sense; maybe it does take your breath away when your child cleans their room!
Awesome means “causing or inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear.” This word has been watered down by popular usage and has lost its edge to express the true majesty and wonder of what it means. I think, along with the loss of the meaning of this word, we’ve lost the fear and respect of nature, people and ultimately, God, that deserves our reverence and awe.
I think of the mountains and how we need to respect how nature works in those mountains. A snowstorm could produce an avalanche. Extreme rock and soil slopes could produce a landslide, covering everything in its wake. Have you heard about the town of Frank, AB and Canada’s deadliest rockslide that buried a good part of the town and killed 90 people?
Besides nature, we need to get back to the basics of respecting and valuing life. We are in a full-out cultural war to preserve the sanctity and value of life. People are valuable. You are valuable. Your life is precious God put a price tag on your life. He gave His Son! He gave His one and only Son for you! He created you and He has placed unending value and worth on you!
When it comes to God, He is incredibly powerful, magnificent and awesome. Read Isaiah 40:12-27. (“Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?”) God is awesome! He is indescribable, invincible, immeasurable, infinite, unchangeable, eternal, all loving, yet just. In other words, He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnibenevolent (supremely good). Imagine that! He is incredibly awesome.
Renew your mind to His greatness today and trust in His bigness!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
