Sep 6, 2013

The Lord Fills Us With Awe


In fact, except for the grace of God--the God of my grandfather Abraham, the awe-inspiring God of my father, Isaac--you would have sent me off without a penny to my name. But God has seen your cruelty and my hard work. That is why he appeared to you last night and vindicated me. (Genesis 31:42)(NLT)

Jacob learned that God's power far exceeded his own ability to manipulate or control his circumstances. If the Lord, "the awe-inspiring God" of his father, Isaac, had not intervened for Jacob, he would surely have been overwhelmed by his enemies. Jacob had recognized this as he denounced Laban's unjust practices against him. Jacob knew that the Lord had protected him. This "awe-inspiring God" of Isaac protects us as well. We can call upon him to right the injustices we see around us, and we can trust in his ability to overcome them.

O GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, the one who inspires awe in all who witness your majesty and power, cultivate in us a profound reverence and love for you. Forgive our prideful self-sufficiency and our reluctance to call upon your name. Teach us to appeal to you when others treat us unjustly. Release us from our desire to vindicate ourselves. We praise you, Father. Amen.

(from the Praise and Worship Study Bible--Tyndale House Publishers)

Psalm 122:1

I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." (HCSB)