Every year we send letters in honor of the various holidays, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the like. Each holiday is special in its own way, but at the top of the list is Easter.
This is a time of year for growth and renewal, something that never fails to inspire us. A time for clearing out the old and bringing in the new. In our homes, we remove the clutter and grime of winter. Outside, the snow melts, the rains come, and the world is washed clean, so birds can sing, trees blossom, and flowers bloom.
But the greatest renewal of all is the one we celebrate every Easter. That Christ, our Savior, suffered, bled, and died for the redemption of all humankind, and was resurrected so that we may live again, too.
There is a song that often comes to our minds during this time of year. We’re sure you’ve heard it before. It goes like this:
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.
How Great Thou Art is probably one of the most popular hymns in the world. Recently, we took a little time to learn about the origin of this hymn. Based on a poem called “O Great God” by a Swedish minister named Carl Boberg, we were interested to find that the author was inspired by the same things and at the same time of year that we mentioned above.
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.
As the story goes, Boberg was walking in the countryside, returning home from a Sunday service, when a thunderstorm suddenly broke loose. As Boberg’s great-nephew described it:
It was that time of year when everything seemed to be in its richest coloring; the birds were singing in trees and everywhere. It was very warm; a thunderstorm appeared on the horizon and soon thunder and lightning. We had to hurry to shelter.1
A Christian historian wrote about the event this way:
Presently a thundercloud appeared. Lightning flashed across the sky. Strong winds swept over the meadows and billowing fields of grain. The thunder pealed in loud claps. [But] in a little while the storm was over, and a rainbow appeared. When Boberg arrived home, he opened the window and saw the bay like a mirror before him…From the woods on the other side of the bay, he heard the song of a bird…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.2
Boberg had seen a storm come through, loud and frightening. But when it was over, the world was new again, and he could see all the wonderful things that God had created.
We know that when Christ died on the cross, there was darkness, earthquakes, and confusion. But when it was over, the world was new again, because Christ had made it possible for us all to renew ourselves from 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.
After Boberg submitted his poem to a local newspaper, his words soon spread beyond Sweden. Having been translated over and over into different languages, the lyrics have changed somewhat over time. But the overall message has stayed the same, and Easter is the perfect time to remember it. As winter makes way for spring, as the world around us fills with color and life, we are surrounded every day by the greatness of God’s works. And when storms appear on the horizon, both in the sky and in life, we can remind ourselves that they are one of His works, too. Because it is through those storms that the world is made clean…and we ourselves can draw closer to Him.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
This, is why this season is so special to us. Because it’s during Easter when we remember just how great He truly is.
We wish you and yours a Happy Easter. Peace be unto you.
