I've been reading through the Gospels a lot lately studying the life of the disciples and the ministry of Jesus. I keep noticing the reaction of people in different cities as Jesus taught or performed various miracles. It often says that 'people were overwhelmed with amazement' or that 'they were amazed at His teaching because His words had authority'. The things that Jesus was doing were incredible. He was doing the impossible and He left people in awe, sometimes resulting in praise. Then God laid this thought on my heart. Am I amazed by Him or am I being transformed by Him?
The difference between those two thoughts are crucial to our faith. It is the difference between head knowledge and heart change. It could be the difference to where you spend eternity. Jesus wants us to be amazed by Him because He is worthy...because He created everything. We should constantly be amazed by the things He does in our lives daily. The people we encounter, the opportunities that lay in front of us, and the emotions we experience are all because of Jesus' amazing love and grace. The question to ask yourself is, does it impact you enough to change you? Meaning, is your heart and mind transformed to bring God glory in everything you do, say, and think?
The response to the things that Jesus did was amazement. These people however, are simply amazed. Their lifestyle doesn't change. We go to a sporting event and Shaun White amazes us with his perfect 100 at the Winter X Games (Perfect 100: AmAzInG). We go to concerts and Jonny Greenwood amazes us with his guitar solo's (The Best of Jonny). We even might watch some illusionist who "wow's" us on stage or on television (I still don't understand this...). The fact is, many people and things amaze us, especially the work of Christ, but is it simply just amazing to you or does it change your life?
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