What comes to your mind when you hear the word “awestruck”? What emotions do you associate with the word “awesome”? Perhaps wonder and amazement are the first ideas that come to your mind. Or is it delight and astonishment? However, right behind those feelings can also be a sense of concern, uncertainty, and even fear. The thrill and excitement of the moment can be enhanced by the awareness of being helpless and sometimes overwhelmed.
Can you think of some experiences, places or times when you have been awestruck? How did that impact your thinking and your behavior? Can you remember some events or quiet moments when you have been deeply moved with wonder by the love and sacrifice of Jesus? Or by the presence and power and peace of God?
As Moses begins his second message to the Israelites who will soon be crossing over into the Promised Land, he takes the time to remind them of the awesome experience that happened at Mount Sinai (Horeb), when He spoke out of the fire to the people and gave to them His commandments through Moses. Many of this generation will have some personal memories of that time and others will know about it only through the stories that they have heard. Perhaps the one word that could begin to describe the response of the people that day is that they were awestruck. For them, this meant that their hearts were inclined to total surrender, dependence, and worship of this great and merciful and awesome God.
If only this new generation would “incline their hearts” to fear God and to obey Him. If only they would be “awestruck by such an awesome God” that they would listen to His voice and respond wholeheartedly.
