How Great Thou Art

A tough day today, it was.  A family said goodbye last night to a daddy, a husband, a brother, a son.  Many friends are heavy-hearted with the loss of a man that should still be here.  I've gotta say it straight out:  cancer sucks.  Disease sucks.  Sometimes you just have to say it like it is.  And that's how it is.  And this heaviness in my heart is not even the smallest fraction of the pain this family is experiencing.  I hurt for them.  I went through the "normal" parts of my day today, in some ways faking my way through it.  Work still had to be done, but I did it with my mind never leaving this family.  The praying was without ceasing...it filled my heart continually.

As I went through all the motions, the song that kept rolling through the background was "How Great Thou Art".  Such a beautiful song, such a powerfully truthful song.

So I looked up all the lyrics this evening, as well as the history of the song.  First the lyrics:


O 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 Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!




When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.




Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!




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.




Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!




When Christ shall come, with 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!"




Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


From Wikipedia:
"The inspiration for the poem came when Boberg was walking home from church near Kronobäck, Sweden, and listening to church bells. A sudden awe-inspiring storm gripped Boberg’s attention, and then just as suddenly as it had made its violent entrance, it subsided to a peaceful calm which Boberg observed over Mönsterås Bay.[6] According to J. Irving Erickson:
Carl Boberg and some friends were returning home to Mönsterås from Kronobäck, where they had participated in an afternoon service. Nature was at its peak that radiant afternoon. Presently a thundercloud appeared on the horizon, and soon sharp lightning flashed across the sky. Strong winds swept over the meadows and billowing fields of grain. The thunder pealed in loud claps. Then rain came in cool fresh showers. In a little while the storm was over, and a rainbow appeared.
When Boberg arrived home, he opened the window and saw the bay of Mönsterås like a mirror before him… From the woods on the other side of the bay, he heard the song of a thrush…the church bells were tolling in the quiet evening. It was this series of sights, sounds, and experiences that inspired the writing of the song."


Here's the thing:  the inspiration in the writing of this song was a storm that made a "violent entrance".  But all storms end, and bring a "peaceful calm".

One storm has abruptly ended for this family.  The peaceful calm yet?  I pray that in some way they are experiencing a peaceful calm.  Storms ahead?  For sure.  But my prayers are now focusing on the peaceful calm.  That even in the midst of a storm, they will feel the calm. 

And for Tom?  Imagine!  When Christ called him home, JOY filled his heart!  And then Tom bowed, in humble adoration, and there proclaimed, "MY God HOW GREAT THOU ART!"

I don't fully understand that, but I believe the Bible is true.  I believe that there is nothing but joy in the presence of the Lord.  I believe that's where Tom is, smack dab in the presence of the Lord, proclaiming His greatness.

And his sweet wife was there beside him when he left this earth.  While she was still standing there, Tom was already bowing before the Lord and proclaiming His greatness.  "I scarce can take it in."  I just can't.  But I trust.

Life is hard, but God is still great.