Why only God is "awesome"...

I have been thinking about this for a while now...and I have felt the need to post...

I was a teen in the late 80's and early 90's when everything from pizza to movies to tennis shoes were considered "awesome!!". Of course, I picked up on the trend of calling things that. My dad was quick to say that "Only God is awesome. There is no awesome pizza or awesome movies." That really stuck with me over the years. I have really tried to never use that term in regard to anything materialistic or earthly. I have slipped a few times - but every time I have...I immediately regret saying it.

For me, Isaiah 8:12b-13 says it best (this is the HCSB version):

Do not fear what they fear;

do not be terrified.

You are to regard only

the Lord of Hosts as holy.

Only He should be feared;

Only He should be held in Awe.

I looked up the definition of awesome and it says: "inspiring, showing or characterized by awe". In my opinion...that only describes One...God.

Psalm 33:8 says:

Let all the earth fear the Lord;

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

If we call these earthly things "awesome" - then we are diminishing how truly awesome God is. What can be more awesome than the fact that God sent His son to die for us???

Deuteronomy 10:21:

He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen.

You can see God's awesomeness everywhere around you...from the gorgeous sunrises, the rainbows that remind us of His promise, the mountains, the seas...everything around us. You cannot tell me that a "big bang" created all of this wonder. Only an awesome God can do that.

Also, the grace of God is unbelievably awesome!! We don't deserve anything!! Yet God gave us grace freely!! By His grace, salvation is granted to those who believe. How awesome is that?!?!

Ephesians 2:8:

For by grace you have been saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

There is a song by Chris Tomlin called "Holy is the Lord" that has become one of my favorite song:

We stand and lift up our hands

For the joy of the Lord is our strength

We bow down and worship Him now

How great, how awesome is He

And together we sing

Holy is the Lord God Almighty

The earth is filled with His glory

Holy is the Lord God Almighty

The earth is filled with His glory

The earth is filled with His glory

I think it says it all perfectly...