Let God Amaze You - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 30
The Crosswalk Devotional
Audio By Carbonatix
By Whitney Hopler, Crosswalk.com
Let God Amaze You
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today.’” – Luke 5:26, ESV
How often do you take breaks from your busy activities to think about how incredible God’s work is? It’s easy to shrink each day God gives you down to the level of your to-do list, allowing your time to be consumed by your responsibilities and causing you to miss out on experiencing wonder. You can also become desensitized to wonder in this fallen, stressful world. The constant flow of messages competing for your attention can distract you, dulling your awareness of what God is doing.
To discover glimpses of God’s wonderful work around you, you need to make room to look for it intentionally. The experience of noticing God at work is awe-inspiring!
In Luke 5:26, the people who witnessed Jesus heal a paralyzed man responded with amazement and awe. They glorified God because they recognized his excellent power on display before their eyes. That same power is still active today, working in your life and shaping the world around you. The question is: are you paying attention?
Maybe you catch a glimpse of God’s work in the beauty of the sky, such as while watching a colorful sunrise or sunset or on a clear night when you can see the stars. You may see God at work through the love in your relationships with family and friends. Maybe you recognize God providing for you through an answered prayer. There are countless ways God works in your life – some of which you can see, and much more that God is doing behind the scenes.
You can find wonderful evidence of God at work everywhere, but you must be willing to see it. When you intentionally open your heart to let God amaze you, you can experience awe anywhere and anytime since God is constantly doing something extraordinary!
Here are some practices to help you experience God’s wonder around you every day:
- Enjoy “wonder walks” in nature: Regular walking outdoors helps you discover God’s wonder because every part of God’s creation shows you something about the Creator. You take Wonder walks to look for something inspiring on your way intentionally. As you walk, engage your senses fully. You can see the intricate patterns of leaves on the trees, listen to the music of birds singing, inhale the fresh scent of the grass, and feel the wind blowing. Pay attention to how what you’re experiencing inspires you and what it can show you about God, who designed everything.
- Include prayerful mindfulness in your daily activities: Mindfulness involves being fully present in the moment so you can appreciate the here and now. Since God is always present with you, you can become more aware of God by focusing your full attention on whatever you’re doing – even ordinary activities like eating, sipping tea, or doing chores at home – with a prayerful attitude, asking the Holy Spirit to help you uncover layers of meaning that you might otherwise overlook.
- Rediscover childlike wonder: Children view the world with pure wonder. That helps them find joy in the simplest discoveries. You can reignite this sense of awe as an adult by enjoying activities you loved as a child, such as playing with a pet, drawing, or exploring new places. Make time in your schedule regularly to have fun in the same ways you did during childhood.
- Learn something new: God regularly brings new opportunities into your life to learn something new. Take advantage of those opportunities as often as you can. Take a class, visit museums, try cooking a new recipe or building something, or even start a new hobby. In the process, you can experience a lot of wonder as God guides you to discoveries.
- Practice gratitude: Practicing gratitude changes your focus from what’s lacking in your life to the blessings God is pouring into your life. Develop a habit of thanking God for his blessings – both big and small blessings – and then you’ll become more aware of God’s continuous and amazing work in your life.
Intersecting Faith and Life
As you consider how God is always doing something amazing that you can discover, reflect on these questions:
- When was the last time you felt genuine awe, and what happened that inspired you to feel that way?
- How can you change your daily schedule to include more time to pursue God’s wonder?
- What steps can you take today to become more mindful of God’s incredible work around you?
- How can you encourage other people in your life to pay more attention to God’s excellent work?
Further Reading
Job 37:14
Psalm 65:8
Psalm 104:24
Psalm 111:2
Romans 1:20
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/naruedom
Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!
Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
