What is awe? Why do we all experience it and seek it? When do we experience it? Let's take a closer look.
This is why we're so drawn to, fascinated by and in awe
of things that are Greater or more powerful than us such as a vast mountain range or brilliant sunset, a raging volcano, a powerful storm or a magnificent waterfall. We are draw also to things that are beautiful, creative and excellent, the more so the better.
But Why?
Our sense of worth is tied directly to our ability to be in awe of, appreciate and enjoy God's beauty, excellence, greatness, power and worth...in a word His glory. In short, we are created to worship - to acknowledge and praise that which is of great value-worth; the greatest and most worthy being the Creator of **all things.
toward other persons or things such as celebrities or an excellent (successful) sports team or athlete, a great (strong, successful-effective leader), the vast array of stars, anything beautiful such as a beautiful women, flowers, colorful birds or other majestic creatures, as well as nature in general...and we could go on. All of these are displays and expressions of qualities within God their Creator.
We experience this very early in life. It is not something we are taught. Contrary to what the atheist says, we did not create God, God created us with the desire - and capacity - to enjoy Him.
We also enjoy receiving praise because we were designed (as God's image bearers) for praise; not only to praise (God or others) but to be praised (valued, feel significant).
Definition:
This is so much a part of our makeup that if we do not acknowledge God we turn our desire and need to praise,
toward other persons or things such as celebrities or an excellent (successful) sports team or athlete, a great (strong, successful-effective leader), the vast array of stars, anything beautiful such as a beautiful women, flowers, colorful birds or other majestic creatures, as well as nature in general...and we could go on. All of these are displays and expressions of qualities within God their Creator.
If our worship and praise is not directed to God it will be directed somewhere else. We are incurably religious.
Why are we irresistibly ***drawn to these things? Because they express something about God's beauty and creativity. But that is only because we are like Him, in his image, with the capacity to enjoy these things. We experience our greatest worth we partake of His.
We experience this very early in life. It is not something we are taught. Contrary to what the atheist says, we did not create God, God created us with the desire - and capacity - to enjoy Him.
We also enjoy receiving praise because we were designed (as God's image bearers) for praise; not only to praise (God or others) but to be praised (valued, feel significant).
We are like little gods but to an infinitely lesser degree than the Creator. We are creatures who are like God and can create from things God has made and gives us, but we are not the Almighty Creator God who speaks things into existance. There is only one eternal and infinite God. We are not Him. He alone is infinite.
God is most praiseworthy of all beings and we are like him in many ways but on an infinitely smaller scale yet still like him nevertheless.
God is most praiseworthy of all beings and we are like him in many ways but on an infinitely smaller scale yet still like him nevertheless.
To be like God is to desire, be able to enjoy and be in awe of God.
For a discussion on the need and desire for excellence click here.
For a discussion on our desire for beauty click here, here and here.
For a discussion on how we are created for glory click here.
For a discussion on the need and desire for excellence click here.
For a discussion on our desire for beauty click here, here and here.
For a discussion on how we are created for glory click here.
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*What would be the equivalent to the word glory today? If you look at the word in the original Hebrew and Greek, it gives us an interesting picture.
Hebrew
H3519 כּבד כּבוד kâbôd kâbôd kaw-bode', kaw-bode'
From H3513; properly weight; but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness: - glorious (-ly), glory, honour (-able).
Greek
G1392 δοξάζω doxazō
Thayer GDefinition:
1) to think, suppose, be of opinion
2) to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate
3) to honour, do honour to, hold in honour
4) to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendour
4a) to impart glory to something, render it excellent
4b) to make renowned, render illustrious
4b1) to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged
From G1391
From the base of G1380 δοκέω
dokeō; from δόκος dokos (opinion); to have an opinion, to seem: - deem (1), expect (1), has a mind (1), inclined (1), recognized (1), regarded (1), reputation (3), reputed (1), seem (3), seemed best (1), seemed fitting (1), seemed good (4), seems (3), suppose (5), supposed (2), supposes (1), supposing (4), think (18), thinking (1), thinks (6), thought (4).
At first, it is not apparent how glory as defined in the Old and New Testament are connected. They seem to be very different. What is the connection?
Israel was predominately agricultural, so the more weighty something was (or the greater the number, such as 1000 camels verses 100) meant the more valuable, like 10 bushels are heavier and therefore of greater value than one or several talents of gold weighed more than one. The greater or more "copious" the amount, the heavier its weight and the greater its value.
To show forth or manifest the dignity and worth of something in the NT was to put it on display. Shining a light on a copious pile of gold coins would reveal the greatness of its value. Or as the definition indicates "...to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing become manifest and acknowledged..."
In both these definitions is the central idea of great value or worth. By the simple fact that we are in God's image and therefore have the capacity to experience and display God's great worth/glory makes us significant and of great worth. We behold his infinite worth and display it to others. In so doing we bring Him greater honor but also experience our greatest worth and glory i.e. purpose and meaning.
**those very things we experience awe in when we encounter them. If they cause us to feel awe, how much more so their Creator?!
***And we are also able to express these qualities ourselves in various ways.
