Awed

Our second granddaughter arrived last Wednesday. Aubrey Brooke Posegate entered this world at 6:17 p.m. She is a gorgeous child; not that I'm biased, or anything. When the news of her birth came to the waiting room, an instant outpouring of praise, thanksgiving, and celebration broke out. After more than two months of ill health, my wife had improved enough to be able to be present to hold her newborn grandchild. For our daughter-in-law's wonderful family, Aubrey is their first grandchild, great-grandchild, and niece. Tears, laughter, and embraces ensued following our son's text-message that Aubrey had landed.

Sometimes I slip into doing the stereotypical preacher stuff. I sort of herded all of us into a "group hug" sort of circle, and started to pray. I think I stumbled out something like, "God, thank you for this great gift..." Then I simply went mute. No words came forth. The moment and the miracle were too overwhelming, and I could find no speech to express it. When eventually I got to hold Aubrey, I was as speechless as I was with our first granddaughter in my arms. Beyond awesome...

People want that kind of an awe-struck experience, whether they recognize it or not, and whether they act on it or not. To be so deeply awed that words fail; that's the hunger that drives us. We who are church folks would do well to remember that. If people do manage to show up at our worship services, by design or by default, their spirit comes seeking such a deeply felt emotion. They don't come looking to be impressed by a cute gift for newcomers, to be wowed by the latest video technology, to be impressed by the preacher or proclaimer, or to be treated to an impressive musical presentation. They want to be awed by something that is beyond them. To experience that, they must be in the presence of people who expect to be awed by God as well.

Those are my thoughts, in the glow of a new life in our family. Your thoughts? I'll see you around the next bend in the river.