“May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works; he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord.” Psalm 104:31-35
Watching and listening to Haitian children praying before receiving their meal for the day usually puts a few lumps into my throat because I am reminded of all the things that I routinely take for granted and I plead guilty of just ‘expecting’ having things there when I am in need. This child is giving thanks for Jesus Christ saving her, her home and parents, this Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe, Pastor Daniel Paul, the teachers, the desk, her bowl and plastic spoon, the wonderful food and the Trinity/Hope donor. Think about that for a moment; giving thanks for a white plastic spoon and a blue bowl that holds your only meal for the day. We take too much for granted and fail to appreciate all the blessings that are poured out into our life each day and Who provided them. I am closing today with the words from a Swedish poem, "O Store Gud" (O Great God) that were written by Carl Boberg in 1885. Not long after it’s being published it was used as a hymn in the underground Swedish church and later was translated into German and Russian. Then in 1921 E. Gustav Johnson translated the hymn into English, but for some reason it didn't catch on because it's literal translation was a little awkward. Finally in 1949, Stuart K. Hine heard the Russian translation of the hymn and made the English paraphrase, now known as "How Great Thou Art".
“O Lord my God, when I'm 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! 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 hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. Then sings my soul, My Savior 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 Savior 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 Savior God, to Thee, how great Thou art! How great Thou art! "
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay