A few days ago, my wife and I visited North Wales. In beautiful sunny weather we drove through the mountains of the Snowdonia National Park. The mountains towered above us and looked majestic. Sheep were peacefully grazing on the hillsides. The mountains provided a backdrop to the beautiful coastline with its lovely beaches which were crowded with day trippers. The sea was calm, and swimmers were making the most of the late summer weather. We gave thanks to God who has clothed his creation with such beauty.

With the rapid increase in urbanisation more people live in cities. At the beginning of the 20th century just 15% of the world population lived in cities. Now more than 50% of the world population are living in cities. When we live in cities it is easy to lose touch with the living God. Many live in crowded concrete jungles with their traffic jams and pollution. Daily life is busy and pressurised, and we experience stress. Life sometimes feel likes a challenge just to survive. We live in a man-made world where there is little to remind us of our loving Creator.

Driving through the mountains we were moved to worship through the words of a hymn that has been voted an all-time favourite. It reflects on God’s love revealed in his awesome creation; “O Lord, my God when I, in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed. When through the woods and forest glades I wanderand hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze, then sings my soul, my Saviour God to thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art!”

The hymn also reflects on God’s amazing love for sinful people like us revealed both in the first coming of Jesus to this world and in his Second Coming in glory at the end of history; “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. When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall 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!”