Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
You’ll recognise this as the first verse from the famous hymn*. It has been buzzing through my mind over recent weeks – particularly since Chantal spoke to us at Easter about Easter Glory and we were thinking about what Glory meant in human and godly/Christian ways.
This made me think again of the characteristics we can only attribute to God … some of them noted in this hymn. Here are a few more: unresting, unhasting, silent, pure, merciful, forgiving, loving, praiseworthy, incomparable, just, judging, righteous, awesome, wise, sovereign. Attributes that can help us to ponder and consider what a unique God we have. And, on top of that, a God….who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us….. (Ephesians 3: 20).
Amazing! This God who is surely worthy of our love and praise. And needful and unworthy as we are, he stoops to lift us and help us on our way.
*Written by Walter Chalmers Smith who died in 1908. He is chiefly remembered for writing the words to this hymn.