Great Sunrises and Sacrifices

Written By Sandy Grant

CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 10 July 2025

© A. R. (Sandy) Grant, Dean of Sydney, 2025

Friends in Christ, this week on early morning runs or dog walks or runs I have been blessed by some great sunrises, as I follow the foreshores of Rozelle and Blackwattle Bays.

Here is the best of the photos I captured...

Firstly, I just wanted to thank all of you who support the ministry at the Cathedral. The residence supplied by the Cathedral allows us to live in Glebe close to St Andrew’s, but also close to these beautiful foreshores. I do not take this privilege for granted.

One of my first thoughts was Psalm ‭19‬!

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech…” (vv1-2a, ‭NIVUK‬‬)

And I thought to myself: Does God have anything more glorious, more magical, in his bag of tricks, than a good sunrise? 

But very quickly, I started thinking of the intense perfume of a 'black beauty' red rose, and the white bark and delightful scent of the lemon scented gum, Corymbia citriodora, especially after it has rained.

And there's the delights of the music we enjoy in the Cathedral, and in concert halls, and maybe played loud in our own homes! Or a favourite dish whose ingredients, arranged just right, send your tastebuds into culinary ecstasy...

And you will have your own delights to add to my list. 

God's creation overflows with glory. 

The greatness of nature, this time in a mighty thunderstorm while church bells were ringing, is what inspired Karl Boberg, the Swedish hymn-writer, of the great hymn we know in English as "How Great Thou Art". For the few who don't remember it, here's the first verse and chorus...

1. O Lord my God! When I, in awesome wonder,
Consider all the works thy hand has made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.    
Ch. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art! 

Some early published versions of his hymn, in Swedish and in translation, only focussed on God's glories in nature.

But actually, not even a magnificent sunrise, nor a mighty thunderstorm, are the most glorious or powerful things in God's universe.

No, that honour belongs to the glory and love which was shared between Father, Son and Spirit, before the world was made…

And which was demonstrated in the sending of the Son to earth, taking on humanity, and dying for the sins of people like you and me, in our place, on the cross.

Something I only discovered recently is that it was his English translator and arranger, Stuart K. Hine, who really sealed this with the addition of what we now sing as the third verse of the hymn...

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.

Next time you are moved to praise God's glory by a wonderful sunrise, certainly count all the other blessings of creation... But why not also pause to think of the even greater glory of the redemption won by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

How great Jesus is... our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer!

+++

If you enjoyed our mini-series on the Nicene Creed and you want to go deeper, or maybe you still have some questions, try these outstanding videos from a conference back in May. 

I find it hard to sit still in front of a video of a sermon. So if you are like me, you might prefer to put the video on and then put your phone in your poicket and just listen to the audio, while you are in the car or walking the dog or doing the ironing etc.  

Warmly in Christ,

Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney

Sandy Grant
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