How Great Thou Art

The Swallow has been busy, busy, busy.  On top of the daily tasks and chores, often necessary and needful, which usually fill up the her days, the last couple of weeks have also been inundated with ad hoc projects that had put a strain on her time and energy.  Parenting issues and family's health issues had left her mentally and emotionally exhausted as well.  How does one cope when everything comes at once?

Looking back, the Swallow knows that it is only because her Lord God is the One who has given her the grace, the comfort and the sustenance to meet each day as it comes.  He is the One who has promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Hebrews 13 : 5, NKJV).  He is the One who has promised, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  (2 Corinthians 12 : 9, NKJV).

Her heart is filled with gratitude each time she ponders on the love the Lord God has for her.  Her soul is refreshed each moment she remembers that she is not alone.  There is One who has gone on before her, who never quit in His journey to the cross, and He is the One who is with her in this busy, exhausting, just-coping part of her journey in life.

Green Bird hiding in the tree

Pausing for some quiet moments beside her window this morning, she was distracted by some fluttering among the leaves of the tree outside the window.  She spotted two green birds, one of which was red-breasted.   A little while later, they hopped to a branch closest to the window and cuddled.  Then the red-breasted green bird flew off.  Having such a close-up view of the birds was a rare opportunity.  The closest ever was when some yellow birds did their birdsong in the trees.

A pair of Green Birds

The red-breasted green bird returned soon after, with a piece of twig in its beak.  Passing the twig to the other bird, it flew off again.  It returned again and again, each time with a piece of twig in its beak, and flew off again and again, each time following the same flight path.  The other bird would ruffle its feathers, make some cooing sounds, and place the twigs together.  A nest in progress?

Ten minutes later, both the birds flew off but left no nest, just some twigs hanging together by a thread and some beautiful memories for the Swallow.  It was a fresh reminder that if she takes time to be still before the Lord God, He will never fail to show how great He is and how wonderful He is!

HOW GREAT THOU ART by Carl Boberg (1859 - 1940)

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!

(Chorus) 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 hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

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 burdens gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin.

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 there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"