Awe and Intimacy: Holding the Tension in Our Walk with God
There’s a beautiful, sacred tension at the heart of our relationship with God—one that requires us to walk both closely and carefully with Him.
On one hand, we are invited to draw near. Jesus calls us friends (John 15:15). The Spirit enables us to cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15, NASB). We are adopted as beloved sons and daughters. We are no longer strangers but heirs. This is no cold religion. It is a warm, personal, intimate relationship with the living God.
And yet…
This same God is the One before whom angels hide their faces (Isaiah 6:2), who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16), and whose presence caused the earth to quake and the mountains to melt like wax (Psalm 97:5). He is not merely a comforting presence; He is the consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).
To walk rightly with God is to live in the tension between awe and intimacy—not choosing one over the other, but embracing both fully.
The Problem of Over-Familiarity
In many Christian circles today, we hear a needed and welcome emphasis on the nearness of God. He is our Father. Jesus is our Brother. The Holy Spirit is our Helper and Comforter. These are glorious truths that reflect the kindness and accessibility of God through Christ. But if we are not careful, we may swing the pendulum too far.
There is a danger in being too casual—treating God like a buddy rather than the Sovereign King of the universe. While God welcomes our closeness, He is not our peer. He is infinitely holy, infinitely powerful, infinitely wise.
When we downplay this aspect of His nature, we rob Him of honor and rob ourselves of wonder.
Awe Is Not Old Covenant Only
Some mistakenly assume that awe and reverence were Old Testament realities, rendered obsolete by grace. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In Acts 2:43, after the Spirit was poured out and the church was born, we read:
"Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles."
The early believers, filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in intimate fellowship with God, still felt a deep, abiding sense of awe. They had not lost the fear of the Lord—they had found it in its proper place, alongside love and joy and nearness.
Later in Hebrews 12:28-29, the writer urges us:
"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire."
This is New Testament theology. New Covenant worship. Awe is still very much in order.
Jesus: Intimate and Awesome
Jesus Himself embodies this holy tension. He welcomed children into His arms, dined with sinners, and washed the feet of His disciples. But He also walked on water, silenced storms, cast out demons, and radiated divine glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. His very presence inspired both closeness and trembling.
When John, the disciple Jesus loved—the one who reclined on His chest at the Last Supper—saw Him glorified in Revelation 1:17, he wrote:
"When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man."
John knew Jesus intimately. Yet when he saw Him in His glory, awe overwhelmed him.
Biblical Balance: Examples of the Tension
The Bible is full of those who walked in this balance.
Abraham spoke with God as a friend (James 2:23) yet fell on his face in reverence (Genesis 17:3).
Moses spoke with God “face to face” (Exodus 33:11), yet dared not look directly at His glory.
Isaiah, already a prophet, cried “Woe is me!” when he saw the Lord exalted (Isaiah 6:5).
Peter, after witnessing the miraculous catch of fish, fell down at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).
These were not men without relationship. These were men marked by relationship. And that intimacy deepened their reverence.
Why Reverence Matters Today
Without awe, worship becomes casual and shallow.
Without intimacy, worship becomes distant and cold.
We need both.
Reverence keeps us humble, reminding us of God’s greatness and our dependence on Him. It guards against flippancy, spiritual pride, and self-reliance. It fuels gratitude and holy fear.
Intimacy draws us near, reminding us of His love and faithfulness. It invites us into personal communion, to speak, listen, and walk with our Creator.
Together, awe and intimacy form a healthy rhythm—like breathing in and out. One without the other leaves our spiritual lives gasping for balance.
Learning the Posture of Both
So how do we cultivate this sacred tension?
Spend time in Scripture
Let the Word, rather than your culture or comfort, shape your view of God. Read both the gentleness and the majesty. Don’t skip the burning bush, the thunder on Sinai, or the throne room in Revelation.Approach prayer with both heart and head bowed
Pour out your heart to God, but don’t forget to pause and listen. Begin your prayers with praise. Let adoration precede your requests.Worship with your whole being
Sometimes the most reverent thing we can do is sing with abandon. Sometimes it’s to kneel in silence. Ask the Spirit to lead your worship—not only in emotion, but in truth (John 4:24).Surround yourself with others who revere the Lord
Fellowship with believers who take God seriously will fan the flames of awe in your own life. The early church grew in both favor and fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31).Remember the Cross
The cross is the ultimate display of both awe and intimacy. It is the holy judgment of sin and the tender embrace of grace, forever intertwined. Never lose your wonder at Calvary.
Final Thoughts
The God who holds the universe together also numbers the hairs on your head.
The One who dwells in unapproachable light also invites you to call Him “Abba.”
He is both infinitely near and overwhelmingly other.
Let us not settle for a one-dimensional faith. Let us walk in the fullness of relationship—drawing near in trust, and bowing low in reverence. It is not either/or. It is both/and.
For only then will we begin to know Him truly…
The God who is both our Father and our King,
our Friend and our Fire,
our Comforter and our Crown.