The "Amazing" Connection

When I was the age of Addison and Parker, words that were “cool” were: bad (meaning good), totally, awesome (best when used together with totally … as in totally awesome), bogus, spaz, chill, and to the max.

The one word I hear my girls use … and misuse … and reuse … and use again … and again … is the word “amazing”. This word is used to describe anything from a great cupcake to an experience to a person. I, trying to be above using modern catch phrases, try never to use this word in my vocabulary. However, more and more I am seeing this word in my reading of the Bible. So, I’m paying attention.

This morning as I was sipping on my totally awesome cup of coffee and having some chill time with God making use of the quiet in my house to the max, I began writing down every time the word “amazing” or any form thereof appeared in the text. It happened so often I wrote down the following:

Amazement Connection: every time ordinary people witnessed the extraordinary in normal life

To further illustrate this totally awesome concept, let me give you some examples straight out of Luke, in the new testament of the Bible, so you won’t think I’m being totally bogus.

“All who heard him (Jesus) were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Luke 2:47

“Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him.” Luke 2:33

Then, I thought about why these experiences were so amazing. The answer is found in my definition I gave above. These were everyday people who witnessed something extraordinary in ordinary life.

I think it’s easy to read the Bible and presume that it is a historical account of things that have transpired in the past and will most likely never be repeated. However, the longer I walk with Jesus, and He shows me modern day relevance in his Word, I see pictures of how I can take what was written and apply them to my life.

What those who heard Jesus in Luke 2:47 and what Jesus’ parents in Luke 2:33 were seeing … and being amazed at … was the tangible evidence of the Holy Spirit. Now, don’t spaz out on me. I think the Holy Spirit gets a bad rap. In my upbringing, I was seldom taught about the amazing power of the Holy Spirit. Just the mention of the Holy Spirit sent chills down my spine and misty images of something very surreal came into my rather imaginative head.

It’s quite simple. The Holy Spirit made the ordinary and everyday … extraordinary … and the result was … amazing.

Recently, Addison went on a trip to Bosnia. I don’t want to say much because I’ve invited her to be a quest contributor on my blog. However, I will say … it was … in her own words ... amazing!

I’m homeschooling Libby. Two days have passed. What seemed to be a major chore has been … amazing. God has given me ability. But, the Holy Spirit has shown up in the middle of our experience and transformed this into an extraordinary experience. It didn’t happen by osmosis. I have been praying as well as many others that I would be energized and seek wisdom from the One who holds all wisdom. God has been faithful with my tiny bit of effort.

I don’t know what your corner of the world holds for you. Normal life seems to hold more mundane than extraordinary. However, if you call yourself a follower of Christ, you have a secret weapon. Here’s the deal and what I’m seeing more and more of is this: when we invite the Holy Spirit to show up in our midst … amazing things happen!