Wow

Class, the word for today is “wow”, because when we experience delight or wonder or gratitude or just what a miracle it is to be alive, that's kind of the word beyond definition. "Oh, wow!" I wonder if we were all to say what the biggest wow of our lives so far has been, what it would be for you? There would be some amazing stories, I’m sure.

Class, the word for today is “wow”, because when we experience delight or wonder or gratitude or just what a miracle it is to be alive, that's kind of the word beyond definition. "Oh, wow!" I wonder if we were all to say what the biggest wow of our lives so far has been, what it would be for you? There would be some amazing stories, I’m sure.
I was thinking, what if wow is built into existence, is built into the universe, is built into reality, and we're just too bored or old in our spirits or warped by sin, so we just keep missing it? So many people live like, God hasn't really done anything for me today. My job is dull. My car is old. My hair looks bad. My kids can't get into a good college because those movie stars and CEOs are cheating. I don't have a spouse, or I do, but I'm pretty sure I got the wrong one. People live as though they have nothing to praise God for, but we live in this universe of light and life, and you're alive in it, and this morning you woke up and got another day, and your heart is beating, and your lungs are breathing, and your mind works, and you have a church, and you have a God who loves you, and you have, if you want, a Savior, and you have, if you want, the Holy Spirit of God to guide you, and you have, if you want, a purpose in this life and the promise of heaven in the life to come, and that's just for starters.
 Imagine you woke up and, in fact, the God who made all of this turns out to be your Father who loves you. Oh, wow! There is a producer of wows. There is a wower, and that's God. There is a receiver of wows, a wowee, and that's you and me, and when a wow gets directed towards God, the word for that is worship. We're actually commanded to practice worship. The psalmist puts it like this: "Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name..."That is his character and his being. "...make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. "Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow!
I wanted to say a word about this because in our day a lot of people wonder, Why? Why would God want people to constantly praise him and worship him? That seems a little needy, doesn't it? Can you imagine a movie star or a CEO or a politician so egotistical that they want a bunch of people to stand around and tell them how great they are all the time? People wonder, "Is God like that?"
If we just had to say nothing and just sit on our joy, it would be unsatisfying. Joy naturally overflows into praise. It just wants to. We say to each other and we love this kind of stuff, "You have to read this book! You have to watch this video! You have to listen to this song! You have to drive down to coast and see the ocean right now! You have to try this food!" Joy naturally flows over into praise.
God is not needy physically or emotionally. He delights in our praise because it means we're awake to all of the gifts, to all of the goodness, to all of the beauty, and to the wonder of what it is to the absolute miracle of being alive. Oh, Wow!
So, let the Son shine, and get some skin in the game.
Timmy B