Reflections on “How Great Thou Art!” March 26, 2024
Oh Lord, my God, When I, in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed, Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art!
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:7-8.
How did the people of Israel know God would not leave them? And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. Exodus 13:21-22.
“This same truth is ours as well. The Children of Israel left Egypt heading toward the ‘Promised Land’ God was with them as they traveled to the Land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
We are traveling, too, to our inheritance, day by day. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:11-12.
Fear not is repeated 158 times in the Bible. Example: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:9.
Another example is this: And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11. What about this Jesus who is He? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. John 1:1-3. As we see the mountains, the oceans, and life around us, and we ask, why?
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in, That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin. How Great Thou Art!
Why did Jesus die on the cross to be raised from the dead in 3 days? Love! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but, in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17.
This is not a one-way love, but because He loves us, we have this commandment to obey! A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 3:34-35.
Loving others means that we are awaiting the second coming of Jesus. When Christ shall come, with a shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration. And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Our God is the Creator, King, all Powerful, all Knowing, Holy, Loving, and Merciful! There is none like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All the nations You have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your Name. Psalm 86:8-9.
What does the Bible tell us who Father God is? Father God is: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13.
Omnipresent – My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. Psalm 139:15-16.
All Powerful – By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. Psalm 33:6.
Perfect – You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48.
Self-Sufficient – Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21.
The Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26.
When Christ shall come, with a shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart, Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim, my God, how Great Thou art!