Friday night Norma Jean and I joined several friends from our Hickman church family for a meal in Overland Park, Kansas, at a restaurant called Wil Jenny’s. It was our first visit there. In fact, I had never heard of it. So, trying to get some recommendations, I asked the server about two or three menu items. Naturally he said they were all good. But then he surprised me by saying, “The meal loaf is awesome!” Really?
Today everything is awesome. Ice cream. A nice shirt. A fun day at the park. Dunking a basketball. The word is overused. Abused. And misused!
The Psalmist uses the word “awesome” is a way that should give us pause when describing something as common and mundane as meat loaf as awesome. Consider these thoughts from Pslams 45, 65, 66, 68, 89, 99 and 111.
God is awesome. He is to be respected. Reverenced. Venerated. His works are awe-inspiring.
God is awesome in his creative power. In his blessings to His people. In His ability to refine us.
God is awesome because of character. His nature. His qualities. He is merciful. Kind. Loving. Strong.
God is awesome for his ability to help. Defend. Protect. Avenge. Deliver.
Because God is awesome I will praise His mighty works. Extol his virtues . Sing of His greatness. Magnify His name.
Let’s reserve the word “awesome” for God and not meat loaf!
Today we are going to worship. To exalt an awesome God! I hope you have a church Family with whom you can enjoy spiritual fellowship. But most of all I pray that you experience the awesome presence of God and participate in praising His awesome name.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
but… was the meatloaf good?
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The meat loaf was very good, Dina….but not awesome!
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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SO WAS THE MEATLOAF FABULOUS? ps – awesome post
BILLIE
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The meat loaf was good, but not awesome!
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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Thanks Ken! I will try more diligently to reserve the word awesome for our Lord and Creator alone. Great thoughts as usual.
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Thanks, Ron!
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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AMEN, and again…AMEN…”awesome” should be held in place to explain God, not something trivial here on earth! good post, as always, Bro. Ken! love in Him, Julie
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Interesting post Pastor Ken…I agree we serve an AWESOME GOD!…and that the word is overused, misused. But, if we are going to nit-pik, then I have to take issue with your choice of the photo attached to this post. The moon…the moon is nothing but a dead rock-that merely REFLECTS the light of the SUN/SON. It has no life, and has been/is the object of pagan worship for ages past, and to this day! It is satan himself, disguising himself to LOOK like the TRUE Light of the world. Our AWESOME GOD should not be associated with/attached to a photo that, for SO MANY remains an object of pagan worship! I realize God made the moon, but satan uses EVERYTHING God has made to try and make HIMSELF look like our ONE TRUE AWESOME GOD! So, so much for nit-piking:) No disrespect meant-just sayin’…
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Thanks for reading Theresa. I always appreciate readers taking the time to respond. In this case, I think you havecorrected critiqued your own comment! 🙂
Ps 8:3-4 3When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
Ps 148:3-6 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! 4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created. 6 He also established them forever and ever; NKJV
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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Does this apply for other words? Take the word “kind” for example. God is described as kind. Does that mean we shouldn’t use it to describe anything? After all, nothing really compares to the kindness of God. Should I avoid saying “that was very kind of you” when someone does a good deed? If I do say that, am I misusing the word? I have heard this concern about people using the word “awesome” too much going around. Is any word in our vocabulary really capable of adequately describing God? I would venture to say no and that reverence for God is developed when hearts change after experiencing the awesomeness and kindness of God. May we be careful to not make rules and judgments of our own, neglecting the “weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” When I visited the Grand Canyon last October, I remember hiking through the canyon and saying to myself “this is awesome.” And it was. In a display of His awesome power, the Creator made it that way. I have been deployed for three months and away from my spiritual family. Many of them have reached out more than I ever would have imagined. I have no problem saying that they have been kind because I know their deeds are an expression of God’s love.
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Nathan, Thank you for reading my blog and for taking the time to comment. Also thank you for your service to our country. I know it’s often said, but too often taken for granted. Now in answer to your questions and concerns. First of all, I wasn’t try to make any rules about what words people can say! Nor did I say that it is a sin to use the word “awesome”in any other way than taking about God. But I did say, and do think that the word is way over used. The Bible uses the word “awesome” in the NKJV 38 times. About 35 of those refer to God. His awesome name, or awesome works, or awesome deeds, or just his awesomeness!The other 2-3times it’ used refers to something outstanding or incredible.The Hebrew word means 1)to fear, to be afraid 2)to stand in awe of, to be awed 3)to fear, to show reverence, to honor, to respect b)(Niphal) 1)to be fearful, to be dreadful, to be feared 2)to cause astonishment and awe, to be held in awe 3)to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe (from The Online Bible Thayer’s Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.) The word “kind” is used to refer to both man and God. Just like “love,” “compassion,” or “merciful.” These are qualities of God that we should emulate. Personally, I don’t know any people no matter how kind, loving, compassionate and merciful, who are as awesome as God! Also the word “awesome” is translated in Ps. 111:9 in some other versions as “Reverend is his name.” I definitely don’t want to be called Reverend! Although I think the word “awesome,” especially speaks to God’s greatness, I wouldn’t encourage anyone to take it on themselves to be the “word police” and condemn others for a perceived misuse of the word. However, I’m sure that God is more awesome than meat loaf! Ken
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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Hey Nathan, just wanted to say THANK YOU for stepping up and protecting our freedoms by serving in our military. It is MEN like you, who risk your very lives so that other’s may live in peace and have the freedom to do SO many things that we take for granted here in the USA, the most valuable, (in my opinion), is to Worship the AWESOME GOD we have! As you well know, freedom isn’t free. I will keep you in prayer, and consider it an honor to do so. Please let me know if you have specific prayer requests. Pastor Ken should have my e-mail..Blessings to you Soldier♥
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Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate
you writing this post and the rest of the site is also really good.
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Thank you for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. It’s my pleasure to share this blog Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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