“That’s awesome, man!”

When was the last time you heard that… or said that? It’s one of the recent superlative adjectives, used by many, not just young people. They want to compliment something or someone which has impressed them with a kind of verbal exclamation point.

The people who use the word don’t mean it — whether “it” was a sunset, concert, or hamburger — stirred awe within them. They didn’t walk away dumbfounded or shaken or enlightened or in love. Or even in fear, as the original meaning had it (Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”). They just mean it was… pretty good.

I feel old when I challenge folks about this, like a picky English teacher.

But I still put forth the question, “If you use all your verbal gunpowder on middling things, what words will you have left for truly awe-inspiring experiences?” Such as, “We just stopped in our tracks and gazed at the gorgeous sunset. It was awesome!” “Oh, like the hamburger you had for lunch?”

When was the last time you were truly awestruck? A time when a prayer rose out of your heart in gratitude for having been in that moment? Did you try to describe that moment to someone else? Could you?

So, a little sympathy for Peter in this scene on the mountaintop [Matthew 17:1-9], called by the church the Transfiguration. Peter was at least trying to respond. He had never experienced anything like this, nor even heard of something like this. The Lord didn’t correct him; God just went on with speaking and Peter shut up. It was much later that Peter could put it all into words [2nd Peter 1:16-19].

It gave the inner circle of disciples an acute realization of who they were dealing with; some perspective on what was important and maybe what wasn’t.

What’s truly important to you? How do you show it? Do you come to worship with a ho-hum approach, hoping that the hour is at least entertaining? Or do you approach with awe? Is it two-dimensional or does it rise? Do you ever tell anyone about what you experience?

See you Sunday!