成人快手

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Chine McDonald, director of Theos - the religion and society think tank

Good morning,

On this day in 1968, Elvis Presley received a gold record for his version of How Great Thou Art. Often found at the top of lists of all-time favourite hymns, it鈥檚 been recorded more than 1,700 times by artists including gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, Dolly Parton, Cliff Richard and Carrie Underwood and continues to be sung by contemporary worship musicians, and sung in churches around the world week-in and week-out. The hymn takes its roots from a Swedish traditional melody and poem written by Carl Boberg in 1885, who was inspired when on returning home from church one day, he saw a thundercloud, lightning, strong winds and thunder and a rainbow appearing after the storm.

I鈥檝e often had these moments of awe and wonder in creation that cause me to worship God. It鈥檚 in those moments that I have a profound sense of God鈥檚 magnitude and my smallness in comparison. US evangelist Billy Graham, whose famous crusades often included a rendition of the hymn, once said: 鈥淭he reason I like How Great Thou Art is because it glorifies God. It turns Christians鈥� eyes toward God, rather than upon themselves. I use it as often as possible because it is such a God-honouring song.鈥� There might be a tendency for us to feel insignificant because of our tiny-ness in relationship to creation, the universe and God.

But the beautiful thing about the Christian faith is that despite God鈥檚 grandness, God sees us 鈥� small as we are 鈥� as worthy of attention, care and love. So much so that God would become one of us to demonstrate that love. All-powerful God, thank you that you love us with a love that surpasses knowledge. At those times when we feel unworthy, may we feel the warmth of your face shining on us. In the name of Christ, I pray.

Amen.