(16 Nov 2011) Before I start this second blog post, there are two things you should know about me that should help explain the perspective I’ll bring to my posts. First—I really love Jesus. Second—I serve in the United States Navy onboard a guided missile destroyer.

A few weeks ago, after a brief period at sea for training, my ship moored back at the Naval Station in between two aircraft carriers. Now, I am quite proud to be a “destroyerman”: 510 feet, 9200 tons, and 100,000 horsepower of pure American freedom…the sleekest, most maneuverable, and most feared class of ship in the world. But even this proud sailor can feel quite humbled when standing between two HUGE aircraft carriers—each 1,092 feet, 100,000 tons, and 260,000 horsepower of pure American freedom! A floating city. Nearly 5,000 sailors serving onboard. Can be anywhere in the world in about a week.

As I drove away from the pier one day after work, looking at these two carriers towering over my “little” ship, I couldn’t help but feel a little small and a little humbled. For a girl who makes a living driving a billion-dollar warship all over the world, there’s a lot I’ve experienced that makes me stop in awe and say, “wow.” This moment was no different. I think it’s important for us to experience these moments in our lives—especially to see how they relate to our spiritual lives. The Gospels are clear, always challenging us to be small, to be childlike, and to stand in awe of our Father.

For living in a culture that is so obsessed with spectacle, we sure do give little attention to standing in awe of our God, the Creator of the universe. We sometimes give more time to the fleeting entertainment of half an hour on YouTube rather than even a moment’s contemplation in awe of the true, the good, and the beautiful.

Our world, even among Christians, has a “doing” problem. For fundamentally, our Lord does not need “doers” – He needs lovers. And what is the most important “action” of a lover? To stand in awe of their Beloved. When asked what he does for so many hours praying before the tabernacle, Saint John Vianney replied, “I just look at Him, and He looks at me.” May we pray for a renewal in desire to be awed by our God, to be surprised by the Gospel, and to feel small but loved when standing in the shadow of our most generous and merciful Father.

Ave Maris Stella, Mallory