I saw two rainbows (double rainbow) after the rain.

It’s the last day of February (a leap year!). I’m glad this month is over–I felt personally drained for a number of reasons. Nevertheless, I wanted to send this month off with a farewell by revisiting the hymn for this month, How Great Thou Art by Carl Boberg (translated by Stuart Hine).

Full disclosure, I was influenced by this version of the hymn and this was done in one take, hence some of the stumbling over through the song, not my best work.

This hymn is very famous, second to “Amazing Grace.” How did this hymn come to be?

Carl Boberg is Swedish and first wrote a poem (which would later become the lyrics for this hymn) after experiencing a powerful thunderstorm suddenly appearing then disappearing away, leaving behind a tranquil and hopeful atmosphere where he heard church bells rang. Being spiritually moved, he sat down and wrote a poem titled “O Store Gud” (a.k.a. “Oh Great God”). A little later, this poem was set to an old Swedish folktune, which contains the characteristic melody. Stuart Hines would later hear of the Russian translation of this hymn and write an English translation of these lyrics, which are the ones we hear today. This hymn was later popularized after being broadcasted as part of Billy Graham’s crusades.

I’m skipping over a lot of details but if you want a fun read, it’s actually a little interesting learning of how this hymn came to be the one we know today.

There’s a bit of parallels between this and Psalm 8–the main theme being to marvel at the greatness and vastness of God.

The first verse starts with the speaker addressing God, marveling over what He has created. He speaks, as if he finally starting to grasp over the impact that God has created everything–from not just the immediate things around him but also the stars and everything else in this universe.

When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the words Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

For this verse, I always picture a person standing above the clouds on a cliffside and admiring the vastness of nature that God created. The second verse follows by the speaker's amazement that God sent Jesus to die on the cross, gladly bearing his burdens and taking away sin.

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

As a result of these realizations, it logically leads the speaker to give much praise to God or "How great thou art" or letting t

It takes me some effort to remember that the fact that I'm still here is nothing less than a miracle. When was the last time I was really hit by the awesome power and presence of God? I am reminded to see the fact that God created this world for me, created me with a purpose, and gave me an everlasting love that extracted a high price---all for not granted. In the ministry that I do, in the way that I live my life, do I actually feel that way?

Some seasons, it is easier to be in awe/excitement but in other seasons, that is not the case and we take things for granted.

As of writing this, I am currently in a bit of a rut, where very few things seem exciting to me. I need a change of heart. I want my soul to sing praise about God too but I'm still working on it.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art