Awe Dwellers

If you closed your eyes, where would you imagine yourself standing in awe of God? For most of us, it would be somewhere in creation — before a mountain range, a blazing sunset, or waves crashing against the shore. 

Over the summer holidays, I had the privilege of taking a helicopter ride over the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand. That glacier moment for our family is indescribable. We lifted out of temperate rainforest and within minutes were hovering beside blue ice, landing in an intensely white world of snow. We stepped out in t-shirts, standing on ice yet feeling warm. The contrast felt unreal — forest to frozen expanse in moments — a quiet reminder of the creativity and power of God’s world. 

If there was ever a place to be still and stand in awe of God, this was it. We were wide-eyed, speechless, captivated by beauty and by the sheer gift of being there. One unfiltered “wow” captured what we were all feeling: awe. 

In Hebrew, awe is yirah. In Greek, it is phobos. Awe holds two realities: 

• Recognition of God’s power and holiness 
• Deep astonishment at His works and goodness 

And awe produces two outcomes: 

• Wisdom 
• Worship and obedience 

I am challenged to spend more time with God in 'creation', but I now understand that differently. Once, I limited that to nature walks, beaches, waterfalls. But do we only stand in awe before mountains and oceans? 

Genesis tells us we were created in God’s image — not just good, but “very good”. Though brokenness entered the story, Ephesians 2:10 reminds us we are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece — a new creation. When you sit in a room with others, you are surrounded by glaciers and sunsets and waterfalls. 

Spending time in creation is also spending time with His people — observing their gifts and seeing God’s power and holiness at work through them. Being astonished at His goodness expressed in and through ordinary lives. 

At MECS we speak of being Awe Dwellers — living in a state of awe of God’s work around us and within us each day. Acts 2:43 tells us “everyone was filled with awe” as they witnessed God at work through ordinary people — through generosity, faithfulness, love and giftedness. 

We see these glacier moments when: 

• A new student is embraced with genuine care. 
• Someone stands up with courage for what is right. 
• Music flows beautifully from practiced hands. 
• Art takes shape as expression and story. 
• Students build cross-cultural friendships with humility and curiosity. 
• A team member pushes through challenge to grow. 

These are human masterpieces. As teachers, we have the privilege of shining a light on this work — helping students recognise and stand in awe of what God is doing in them. 

An artist does not need to paint a glacier to be awe dwelling. The act of creating — or solving, running, singing — is itself an opportunity to dwell in awe. 

Many know the story of Eric Liddell, portrayed in Chariots of Fire. He said, “I believe God made me for a purpose — and He made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure.” Liddell understood that using his gifts was an act of awe. 

At MECS, we long for each student to say: “I believe God made me for a purpose. He made me ________. When I ________, I feel His pleasure.” 

It is my prayer that our students will know they are stunning parts of God’s creation — that they will stand in awe of who He has made them to be, grow boldly into their gifting, and recognise the image of God in one another. May these moments lead us to deeper wisdom, wholehearted worship, and faithful obedience.

Emma Allison

Head of Secondary