I love the hymns of old in particular.  So many are chock full of theological truths straight out of Scripture, both simple and profound.

I have far too many favorites to list them here but one of them is How Great Thou Art, made famous and a household humming fave by its pervasive use in the Billy Graham crusades.

But I often think that if I were to ever write a hymn I’d likely title it How Good  Thou Art.

Was and is and will He forevermore be great?  Ab-so-LUTE-ly!

Christ created everything.  “Both in the heavens and on earth.  visible and invisible [I’d say that covers it! =] … all things have been created by Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16)

Christ clearly and convincingly and completely conquered  sin and death.  Think about that for a second:  He conquered death.

In His death, burial and resurrection, He made Satan like that famous fish which went after a worm on a hook and thought he was about to eat dinner when in fact he was about to be  dinner.  As Jesus bled and bled and bellowed out asking why the Father had forsaken Him and breathed His last breath before becoming sin  for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) (think about THAT for a second… mind-blowing), Satan saw such and started to celebrate – a bit prematurely as it turns out.  He put on a private party in Perdition but before it could barely begin, Jesus rained on his parade (Ephesians 4:8-9) and “disarmed” the devil and his demons but went even further and turned that private party into a “public display” of degrading defeat and definitive deliverance (Colossians 2:15).  (Talk about crashing a party!  Talk about making an entrance!)

Greatness doesn’t get any greater than that!

How great Thou art, indeed.

But just as often each day I find myself being overwhelmed with how wonderfully warm and loving and generous and giving and good  He is to me, and to all of His children, and even to those who not only don’t yet know Him but who hate  Him! (Matthew 5:45; Romans 5:8,10)

He clothes us and feeds us and shelters us.  But He not only takes care of the physical and emotional needs of our human hearts and bodies but also our spiritual needs.  Salvation.  Eternal life.  Forgiveness of our (unfortunately) ongoing but (fortunately) ever-decreasing sins.  The ability to love and be loved by Him.  To know and be known by and walk with Him every day, every hour, every minute.

Goodness doesn’t get any “gooder” than that!

So, yeah, I think that would be the title if I ever write a hymn to Him:  How Good Thou Art.

Because both  are absolutely essential for us.  And essential to  Him.  His greatness and His goodness.  His goodness and His greatness.  For without the former, the latter wouldn’t do us any good as He’d be a tyrant, gushing with greatness and power and muscle but no heart.  Yet without the latter, the former would give us a god who wants  to grant us “every good thing” and “every perfect gift” (James 1:17) but lacks the power to actually do so.  No, beloved, it’s the combination  of His goodness and greatness which makes Him not “a god” but God.

So on second thought, I’d title that future hymn How Great and Good Thou Art!

Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness and  greatness.  For being so great but also being so good, and so good to us.

Indeed, that dual fact is exactly why I’m in the process of memorizing the entire Bible – every word of His Word, of His love letter to us – so I can demonstrate  through this very unique love/thank-You gift the gratitude and affection I and countless others hold for all He does and who He is!  For the fact that He not only defines greatness but goodness, too.

Yes, how great – and  good – Thou art, indeed.
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