Easily Amazed
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
05/04/2022
“Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.” (Acts 2:43)
Have you ever thought about how easily amazed we are? Just this morning, when I stepped outside and felt the crisp, cool, mountain air I thought to myself, “This is amazing! What a beautiful morning.” During family game night the other night, it was amazing when one of our kids drew the same card three times in a row. Recently I was in Minnesota and as I passed a gas station I was amazed to see how high gasoline prices are getting. The traffic was also amazingly light for rush hour. It really is amazing how often we use the word amazing.
Either it does not take much to amaze us, or perhaps we use that term way too flippantly. What should amaze us is God's incredible goodness. For members of the church in the first century, amazement was the rule, not the exception. Every time they gathered, the Lord demonstrated Himself to them with amazing signs and wonders. It was nothing unusual for God to perform supernatural miracles right before their very eyes. Luke the historian writes, “Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.” (Acts 2-:43)
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He amazed the crowds with His power and might. When He healed a young girl, people were “overcome with great amazement.” (Mark 5:42) When Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm the disciples “were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.” (Mark 6:51) When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome found the empty tomb, they each “trembled and were amazed.” (Mark 16:8)
When is the last time you trembled in amazement at God’s power and might? Somehow in the last 2,000 years we have managed to tame Christianity to the point that we seldom experience God’s unplanned, unexpected, amazing presence anymore.
It seems to me that the church needs more “wonders and signs” today. In this dark hour where the restrictions on our religious freedoms portend of more ominous days ahead, we need God to show Himself mighty in powerful new ways. Or, maybe it would be better to say, we need Christians to notice God’s amazing power that has been here all along. God’s presence, in good times and bad, needs to be recognized and acknowledged so that He receives the glory.
Are you easily amazed? I confess I am. The real question is are we amazed at the right things. God truly is an awesome God. His love is amazing. His grace is amazing. His mercy is amazing. The words of the psalmist are as applicable today as they were one thousand years ago: “Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (Psalm 88:12)
05/04/2022
“Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.” (Acts 2:43)
Have you ever thought about how easily amazed we are? Just this morning, when I stepped outside and felt the crisp, cool, mountain air I thought to myself, “This is amazing! What a beautiful morning.” During family game night the other night, it was amazing when one of our kids drew the same card three times in a row. Recently I was in Minnesota and as I passed a gas station I was amazed to see how high gasoline prices are getting. The traffic was also amazingly light for rush hour. It really is amazing how often we use the word amazing.
Either it does not take much to amaze us, or perhaps we use that term way too flippantly. What should amaze us is God's incredible goodness. For members of the church in the first century, amazement was the rule, not the exception. Every time they gathered, the Lord demonstrated Himself to them with amazing signs and wonders. It was nothing unusual for God to perform supernatural miracles right before their very eyes. Luke the historian writes, “Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.” (Acts 2-:43)
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He amazed the crowds with His power and might. When He healed a young girl, people were “overcome with great amazement.” (Mark 5:42) When Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm the disciples “were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.” (Mark 6:51) When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome found the empty tomb, they each “trembled and were amazed.” (Mark 16:8)
When is the last time you trembled in amazement at God’s power and might? Somehow in the last 2,000 years we have managed to tame Christianity to the point that we seldom experience God’s unplanned, unexpected, amazing presence anymore.
It seems to me that the church needs more “wonders and signs” today. In this dark hour where the restrictions on our religious freedoms portend of more ominous days ahead, we need God to show Himself mighty in powerful new ways. Or, maybe it would be better to say, we need Christians to notice God’s amazing power that has been here all along. God’s presence, in good times and bad, needs to be recognized and acknowledged so that He receives the glory.
Are you easily amazed? I confess I am. The real question is are we amazed at the right things. God truly is an awesome God. His love is amazing. His grace is amazing. His mercy is amazing. The words of the psalmist are as applicable today as they were one thousand years ago: “Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (Psalm 88:12)
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