O Lord, My God, When I In Awesome Wonder
How Great Thou Art
Joe is coming for Christmas, he’ll be here ten days -- eight actually, not counting travel days. While Joe is here, some in the family will take my parents' ashes from the columbarium at Holy Nativity, out for burial at sea, committal to the deep together, as they wished.
For years, Joe slept in a bedroom upstairs and shared my bathroom; but my mother died in July, so we have remade her bedroom into Joe’s bedroom and sitting area, with his own private bathroom. Mama’s books have been given away, and the bookcase was needing some new things that might interest Joe.
Looking through the bookshelves in my upstairs office the other day and selecting various things to move downstairs to Joe’s bookshelf, Clayton Sullivan’s Rescuing Jesus from the Christians jumped out at me -- not for Joe, but to read myself to see what Professor Sullivan had in mind. It’s a fascinating and provocative book, written not for clergy but for lay Christians.
It is a straight-through read. Highly recommended for inquisitive modern Christians who prefer exploring and thinking for themselves over unquestioning acceptance of the thoughts of ancients who knew that God lived above the clouds beyond the firmament, who knew the earth was flat and the center of creation, who knew the sun revolved around the earth, never heard of a telescope, quantum theory, atoms, cosmology, or black holes; and who would have been unable to grasp the theological depth of this most thoughtful and powerful Eucharistic Prayer --
God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of
glory and praise.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of
interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses,
and this fragile earth, our island home.
By your will they were created and have their being.
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race,
and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us
the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed
your trust; and we turned against one another.
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets
and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the
fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to
fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.
glory and praise.
Glory to you for ever and ever.
At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of
interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses,
and this fragile earth, our island home.
By your will they were created and have their being.
From the primal elements you brought forth the human race,
and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us
the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed
your trust; and we turned against one another.
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.
Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets
and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the
fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to
fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.
God is incomprehensible, ineffable, unexplainable, inexpressible, cannot be defined or confined by Creed. “O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder ... ” God of the ancients was smaller than God of the Big Bang and Beyond. But even today as we celebrate the wonder of Emmanuel, God With Us and anticipate His return, we ourselves, hesitant to explore, discuss and challenge orthodoxy, are reluctant, even afraid, to imagine the immensity of our God. Perhaps we feel we lack permission (permission is granted). Perhaps we are afraid of what we may discover or not discover (Seek the truth, come whence it may, cost what it will).
The Eucharistic Prayer continues ...
Lord God of our Fathers: God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our
eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver
us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace
only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for
renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one
body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the
world in his name.
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus
Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the
Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship,
from generation to generation. AMEN.
Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our
eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver
us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace
only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for
renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one
body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the
world in his name.
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus
Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the
Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship,
from generation to generation. AMEN.
Years ago, Anglican canon and scholar J. B. Phillips wrote Your God Is Too Small for those feeling mentally and spiritually stuck in kindergarten Sunday School. We needn’t be reluctant, hesitant, or afraid to study, discuss, examine, challenge, imagine and re-imagine.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
and take me home-what joy shall fill my heart!
Then shall I bow in humble adoration,
and there proclaim: My God, how great thou art!
and take me home-what joy shall fill my heart!
Then shall I bow in humble adoration,
and there proclaim: My God, how great thou art!
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!
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!
TW+