July 19, 2026
Guest Writer: Valerie West, MD
CLOUDS
Oh 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
“How Great Thou Art”—Carl Boberg, 1949
Dr. West encourages us to see beyond the clouds!
As I was flying back from Colorado after visiting my grandchildren, I noticed many puffy clouds casting wide shadows over the land below. I wondered if the people beneath were thinking about the dreary day, many plans possibly disrupted.
Then from my window seat, I saw the clouds from a different point of view: the radiant sunshine and the deep blue sky above! What a different perspective of the very same day!
There will always be clouds, but there will also be God. All we have to do is look up with thanksgiving and—as the old hymn says—behold “an awesome wonder” and open our eyes to the truth beyond the clouds.
A Brief Note About the Hymn How Great Thou Art began as a Swedish poem written in 1885 by Carl Boberg after he was caught in a sudden storm that gave way to brilliant sunshine. The dramatic shift in the sky moved him to worship, and his poem eventually traveled across continents—translated, adapted, and expanded—until it became the beloved hymn we know today. Its theme of seeing God’s majesty in creation mirrors the very experience of looking beyond the clouds to behold God’s glory.
Reflection Questions
- Where have you recently seen God’s light breaking through a cloudy moment in your life?
- What helps you shift your perspective when circumstances feel heavy or discouraging?
