I am always amazed at those “polar bear” plunge people during the winter who rally and jump into the ice water in freezing temperatures. I have not participated in this rich tradition but I have had ice water poured on me that reignites my heart to pump at new levels. At times this rush happens in my soul when the Spirit pushes me into a place that needed a wake-up call. It was a shock to my soul this morning as I was reading about losing my “awe.”

I am loving Paul Tripp’s book "Dangerous Calling" and read this morning a section about familiararity. He addresses the tiredness and complacency we can fall into from becoming so familiar that we lose something so powerful in our spiritual transformation: awe.

Awe defined is a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder. Do I still have that wonder, respect and fear of God? Do you? What causes me to be lulled to sleep by so much of God's greatness? Can our religious rituals lull our souls into a lifeless existence? How do we forget?

Tripp’s answer is also my answer: familiarity.

I must lose the familiar and replace it with awe. I must view each opportunity to read the scriptures as a a holy, life-giving breath of air that can transform me. I must look at every person with wonder as I see the fingerprints of God in them. I must stop and be in amazement as I receive provision and protection every moment of my day. I must stop and listen to the songs we sing and let it rekindle the majesty of such a powerful God. I must feel the fear and grace giving by God as I confess my rebellion. I must look to everything that enters each moment of my life and consider it divine and wondrous. I must never let my regular disciplines become so common that they lose life. I must stop allowing the familiar to dull the awe of God in me.

Sound familiar?