Every Thursday, @MuellerHolly invites us to link up to her blog and share stories from our spiritual journey. Today’s theme is “Wonder and Awe”.
I look forward to the call to reflect each week, and consider my journey. It is a blessing personally, and hopefully by sharing these reflections, others are blessed as well. But today, I write from a part of the journey that seems more uphill than I would have chosen. I write knowing how blessed I am, while not necessarily feeling so. And I accept that this is part of the journey.
One of the things I most appreciate in others is when they are vulnerable. When friends are willing to show their less-than-pretty side. When colleagues are able to share their weaknesses. When someone risks their supposed image, and lets me inside to see the bumps and bruises, faults and fears.
I appreciate that I serve a God who embraces all facets of me – the good, the bad, and the ugly. I love reading the Psalms, because David is so real – sometimes praising, sometimes complaining, sometimes whining, but always real with his emotions. He feels safe coming to our Father, knowing he can be authentic. And that example lets me know it is safe for me to be authentic as well.
This is where I find myself in wonder and awe today. I am in wonder and awe of a God who is both a Lion and a Lamb.
“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.” ~ Rev. 5:5-6
I am in awe of a Mighty God, who allows himself to be a safe, sacrificial, gentle Lamb, loving me with all my faults, sins, doubts, and fears. I am in wonder of a Mighty God that takes on meekness, a Lion who fiercely protects me, yet laid down his life for me. I am in wonder and awe of a God who is fully Lion, and fully Lamb, and knows which I need and when I need it.
Dash - Life Between the Numbers 
Greg, as always your writing is moving and insightful. Our God is truly amazing and the paradox of Him being so mighty yet so gentle is so much a part of the wonder and mystery of our Savior
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Oh there’s so much I want to say and I don’t even know where to start. I, too, appreciate when someone shares their vulnerability with me…it occurs to me that when I share mine, I often apologize. Why is that? I love the Scripture verses you shared and I am so grateful to love a complex God and even more grateful that He loves me. Thank you for giving me so much to think about in this thoughtful post! Love it!!
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It takes courage to be authentic. I found that on my recent trip when I heard stories that my friends told me that I had never heard before. They made themselves vulnerable by sharing. I am so grateful that they trusted me with their stories. Today I am grateful that I can follow your journey; you trust us to come in. God really is awesome whether He is a Lion or a Lamb.
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I remember when I read through the Bible over a year ago during our church’s Bible in 90 Days initiative and realizing, probably for the first time, how complex God is. You’ve captured His complexity in this post. He is an awesome God.
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