in loving God

O God how great you are
and how worthy is your name
to be praised.
My fingers tremble as they
write this, for how unworthy
am i to know of your grace
and goodness. And much less receive
the same grace and goodness.
How great you are O God,
how great you are.

You know both the heavens
and the earth, and life was
birth at the words you spoke.
You know the hearts of man
the deceit that lies within his
heart, and the capacity that he
has to love and to forgive,
for you have created us in the image
of yourself.
How wonderful you are O Lord,
how wonderful you are.

The very Earth you have created
for the sake of mankind.
You set the stars in each of their
places, every single one perfectly
placed. The moon, the sun, all in
alignment. This all done for the sake
of we whom are so undeservingly saved.
How wretched we are O Lord,
how wretched we are.

Yet you have devised life, as a gift
for us to enjoy, in the safety of your
providence, and your purpose.
For you know the future and its uncertainties,
you know every single thing has is yet to happen.
And every single event that
comes to pass, is but
a part in the grandness in your plan.
Everything was destined for
the fulfillment of your will.
Your good, pleasing and perfect will.
How marvellous you are O Lord,
how marvellous you are.

In creating us God, you knew
the darkness that would arise,
for you know we were not like you.
you knew that disobedience would come,
and you have foreseen it, before the
beginning of time. You knew we could be
tempted, and you knew we could be swayed;
for you have given us free choice.
As so we could choose to remain in
your presence, and enjoy your good,
please and perfect will. Yet,
you still gave us life and you resigned
to settling for less than first place,
in the lives of those who revelled in sin;
despite how much you love them
and knew how much better it was for them,
to submit to your will.
How awesome you are O Lord,
how awesome you are.

As they chose sin over you Lord,
your heart never turned against them,
no matter how jealous you were.
You hated their sin O lord,
you hated their sin. But you always
were willing to forgive
as long as they turned from
their sinful ways. You knew
that they were only killing themselves
by turning from you, and creating
idols before you as they flourished.
For who is man to know how to live
his own life, without the guidance of God.
Who is man to know the ways that will
benefit him with his short-sighted
self-staisfying desires.
Yet you still loved them O Lord,
even though they rebelled,
you still loved them.
How merciful are you O Lord,
how merciful are you.

And as their hearts grew numb towards you
through a continual depravation of
their carnal state, you knew that
something had to be done, if everyone
were to come to know you, and experience
your grace and goodness. For they had been
raised in evil by their fathers, and not
knowing what was sin and God.
And you O God, are holy and righteous,
without sin and of a standard that
we can never understand. For what are
the deeds of man compared to the
righteousness of God, but filthy rags.
All this you knew, and all this you
have foreseen. And with a heavy heart,
you took your son, and tied him to a
tree, and there you slaughtered him.
You finished the job that Abraham was
tasked with his own son for your
glory; you did it with yours.
You crushed him, and you were pleased,
for it was for your glory.
How unworthy we are Lord,
how unworthy we are.

And your son, Jesus Christ,
the risen Lord, the lamb that was slain.
He knew that all love and honour,
belong to you O God, he knew.
And he submitted himself to your will,
for he knew that it was for the glory
of the Father, that was deserving of
being exalted high. Despite the pain,
and despite the suffering, he bore the
nails that hung him on that cross.
How lovely are you Jesus,
how lovely are you.

Now with your Holy Spirit living in us,
for the work of Christ has been finished,
the Father's love has been made complete.
We are all reconcilled with Father,
and made heirs in our own rights.
Justified not by deeds, not by the law,
for the law is fallible; but by faith
and by the blood of Jesus Christ, poured
forth in substitute of our own.
How glorious you are O Lord,
how glorious you are.

As I reflect on the goodness of your
hand, indeed, everything belongs to you
O God, everything belongs to you. We are
but stewards of this body that we live in,
struggling with our own desires and seeking
to do your will. You know all this Lord,
you have known it before the beginning of time.
And with unrequited love being show to us,
we know not how to respond, for we are imperfect,
and we do not know anything O God.
How shameful we are O Lord,
how shameful we are.

But you have taught us how we should respond,
in your Word, that you have left with us.
You call for submission of the entire being,
not just in mind, but in emotion, and in spirit.
You call for us to submit,
not only what we want to do,
but our attitudes as well,
and all in reverence to you.
How impossible it is O Lord,
how impossible it is.

But you are there, the Alpha and Omega,
beginning and the end, you have always been.
You have promised that you will fight for us,
and you will never leave us nor forsake us.
And as we seek to do your will,
you will fight for us. Against our our own
wills and desires, as long as he who
puts his hand to the plough,
chooses not to look back. And so come all
who are weary and heavy laden,
for the battle is not ours to fight.
All we need is to remain in God,
to be weak and humble before Him,
and he will fight for us. And how you
desire this O God, that you will remove your
presence, in order that we may recognize
how inadequate we are and in need of you,
that we may return in brokenness.
In our vulnerability, and weakness,
your glory is made most perfect.
And as I think about your name,
I can naught but say this:
How great are you O God,
how great is your name.