a day I feel a at a loss to describe.
How can I express the sacred quiet elation -
the assurance and certainty?
I can't.
BUT
I can sing!
I do it privately - and in church!
Always in church.
Hymn 86 How Great Thou Art (with all its rich history) is not a traditional Easter hymn but it is a favorite I find I hum every time I see a wide expanse of sky, stand on a high precipice looking out and down (or deep in a valley looking up and out), watch water ripple along as a small stream or a raging river and at various other stormy and calm moments of life. Kimber blogged this hymn recently here. I had no idea ...
Verses repeat silently in my every fiber this Sunday:
"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:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
And I burst into outright voice:
Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Al-le-lu-ia!
Sons of men and angels say, Al-le-lu-ia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Al-le-lu-ia!
Sing, ye heav'ns , and earth reply,
Aahaahaahal-laaayyyeh-luuuhuooy-ia!!!
Love's redeeming work is done, Al-le-lu-ia!
Fought the fight, the vict'ry won, Al-le-lu-ia!
Jesus' agony is o'er, Al-le-lu-ia!
Darkness veils the earth no more,
Aahaahaahal-laaayyyeh-luuuhuooy-ia!!!
Lives again our glorious king, Al-le-lu-ia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Al-le-lu-ia!
Once he died our souls to save, Al-le-lu-ia!
where thy victory, O grave?
Aahaahaahal-laaayyyeh-luuuhuooy-ia!!!
Notice those lovely rhectorical where questions?
I love that song -
just don't sit in front of me
in Church!!
A soloist I am not.