Psalm 65:5-8
By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
    O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas;
the one who by his strength established the mountains,
    being girded with might;
who stills the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples,
so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

“Awesome” is a word familiar to us.  We might have an awesome day.  Children might describe  their birthday, or a gathering of friends as “awesome.”  Pause for a moment and consider the last activity, moment, or experience that you would be willing to describe as awesome.  If someone is close by, take a moment to ask them about the last “awesome” thing that happened to them.

For some of us, it is easy to think of “awesome” things that happen to us.  The birth of a child.  A promotion or accomplishment at work.  An achievement of a grandchild.  A relaxing weekend with the family.  A good book completed. However, for others, these types of awesome experiences may seem more distant.  They may seem more like distant memories than present circumstance.

Whether you are basking in current awesomeness, or reminiscing about the past, we can know that it was only by the work of God that these awesome gifts were given to us.  In Psalm 65, David describes God by saying that He “answers us with awesome deeds of righteousness.”  David may have been remembering a distant past, when God delivered the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt through the Red sea and to the promised land of Canaan.  Or, he may have been rejoicing in the current peace and victory that Israel enjoyed through David’s own kingship.  Either way, David gives the credit to God. 

So what about us?  What if blessings seem a distant past?  What if current struggles overshadow past victories? Is God still awesome to us?  The blessings he gave to the people of Israel seem to have little to no impact on us who are living thousands of years later.  God did something different for you and me – he answered us with the awesome deed of sending his only beloved Son Jesus.  This was awesome for us because it guaranteed our eternal life with Jesus.  Life with Jesus today.  Life with Jesus tomorrow. Life with Jesus – in a completely awe-inspiring and peaceful world forever!  In Jesus, God has answered us with awesome deeds of righteousness.  May we rejoice in that today.

Our awesome God!  Thank you for every blessing in my life – the awesome things you do for me.  Help me remember these awesome deeds, especially the gift of your son Jesus.  Amen.

Written by: Pastor Koenig