[33] Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
[34] “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” [35] “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
[36] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33–36)
Being in awe of God is healthy for our faith, even as society dulls our sense of wonderment at the Creator.
The more self-sufficient we think we are as a society, the less we appreciate our ultimate reliance on God. The more science unravels the mysteries of the universe, the less society provides space for wonder in the Creator.
Yet experiencing awe and wonder about God can have a salutary impact on our faith. Awe of God can inspire reverence. It can lead to godly humility. It can move us to glorify God.
How then can we again experience such awe and wonder?
God’s creation can still inspire awe. Such wonder is often found in the extremes of creation. We can marvel at the massive majesty of redwoods. Or we can be blown away by the order that God has placed at the molecular level of creation.
Architecture can inspire wonder about God. Envision a church sanctuary with soaring ceilings and stained-glass windows depicting moving stories from Scripture. The sanctuary was designed to inspire a sense of awe at God’s transcendence and power.
As we see in the Scripture reading for this devotion, knowledge about God can also inspire awe. This can happen as we more deeply understand God’s character and being. It can occur the more clearly we comprehend God’s works on behalf of all people. It’s no wonder the Apostle Paul proclaimed:
[33] Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
(A Second Look devotions are written for the congregations of the Ohio District LCMS.)
Kevin Wilson 360 