Experiencing awe: God’s power and Yosemite

Driving into the valley

God’s power is immediately clear on the drive into Yosemite. My heart was jumping out of my chest as we drove through the tunnel and got our first glimpse of the Yosemite Valley. It was the fall of 2018 and my husband and I were visiting for the first time. Awestruck would have explained our reaction….and every other face in the very crowded pull over spot. It was frighteningly huge and magnificent. It literally took my breath away.

A post-Easter Bible Study

Earlier this week, my father and I were discussing his most recent Bible study. His topic was the urgency of Easter. He taught from Luke about the road to Emmaus experience. Two followers were visited by Jesus but did not recognize him. They walked along speaking of the events of the past week in Jerusalem. It was not until Jesus blessed the bread at dinner that His disciples recognized him. And then He vanished. They were so amazed they did not even wait until morning. Overcome with awe, they quickly packed up and returned to Jerusalem to tell their friends all about it. I told my father this kind of visceral, awestruck response is exactly what I felt in Yosemite.

God v. Covid-19

So how could I learn about God from this story and this place of awe? How does a glimpse of the terrifying power of God impact us? Why do we need reminders in life? Well, if you will bear with me, I think the impact of Covid-19 on our world is speaking to God’s power in this moment. The last two months have been unbelievable. In my lifetime, I have never seen the entire globe grappling with a terrifying and deadly threat….and certainly not one which is invisible. This microscopic virus has impacted every single one of us. We are now in lockdown at home wondering when (or even if) life will return to “normal.”