Taking Time to Be in Awe

Rev. Tim Travers

May 12, 2025

Reading

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.
Psalm 104:24 (NLT)

Reflection

I spent this past week at a spiritual retreat in Nebraska. About four dozen of us—some clergy, others laity—gathered from Sunday through Friday. We listened to lectures, kept a schedule of silent prayer and reflection, shared in small groups, and received Holy Communion each day.

On the first day of the lectures, Dr. Amy Oden, a professor of early Christian history and spirituality, quoted writer and liturgist Cole Arthur Riley: “Awe is not a lens through which we see the world but our sole path to seeing.” As I jotted the quote in my notes, I sensed it might guide me through the week’s journey of refreshment and learning from the Holy Spirit. Sure enough, that held true. I felt the Spirit nudging me to slow my pace so I could notice the brilliance and subtle creativity of God right in front of me.

One morning ritual I naturally fell into was sipping my coffee from a chair by the pond’s edge, where I could watch the carp, catfish, and bluegill. I soon discovered those fish had a ritual of their own. Each morning, they swam to a certain side of the pond to forage, cruising around one another in a mesmerizing, ballet-like pattern.

I found myself praying as I watched this natural exhibition of synchronized swimming—something I might have missed if I hadn’t been in awe-spotting mode. I even noticed my heart rate slowing and my muscles relaxing as I observed them. This was daily life for those fish, but it became a deeply spiritual moment for me. It reminded me that paying attention to the natural can become a spiritual habit that opens us to the supernatural.

Noticing the wonders of God feeds me—just as the fish were feeding in their morning ritual. Truth be told, I suspect they were also expecting me to toss in a bit of breakfast, as they had likely grown used to seeing the silhouettes of humans approach and hoped for some cereal scraps from the dining hall.

Is there something in your life that invites you to slow down and notice the spiritual awe around you? Maybe it’s quiet Bible study, prayer on your patio, or lifting a silent blessing over your pet while stroking its fur. Perhaps it’s digging in the garden or walking in the woods. Whatever it may be, I invite you to embrace it. Allow yourself to slow down enough to notice the details of God’s love and beauty.

All around us, God is whispering sacred truth—but often in fine print, the kind you miss when you skim life in a hurry. So when you notice something that amazes your spirit, linger with it. Relish it, like a line in a book you read twice because it’s just that good.

Prayer:
Amazing God, you have so many lessons to teach to my spirit. I want you to know, Lord, that I’m paying attention. Show me, call me, invite me into what you are doing. And then lead me to respond to that invitation with an eager “Yes, I will be there!” Amen.