This is hymn 14 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Hymn 14: O What A Wonderful, Wonderful Day
1. O what a wonderful, wonderful day
Day I will never forget
After I’d wandered in darkness away
Jesus my Saviour I met
O what a tender, compassionate friend
He met the need of my heart
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling
He made all the darkness depart
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross my Saviour made me whole
My sins were washed away
And my night was turned to day
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
2. Born of the Spirit with life from above
Into God’s fam’ly divine
Justified fully thru Calvary’s love
O what a standing is mine
And the transaction so quickly was made
When as a sinner I came
Took of the offer of grace He did proffer
He saved me, O praise His dear name
3. Now l’ve hope that will surely endure
After the passing of time;
I have a future in Heaven for sure
There in those mansions sublime
And it’s because of that wonderful day
When at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal
From His precious hand I received.
O What A Wonderful, Wonderful Day Hymn Commentary
Beloved in Christ, every believer has a story, a divine intersection where eternal destiny was altered by a glorious encounter. This hymn, “O What A Wonderful, Wonderful Day,” is the personal, joyful testimony of that moment. It is a song of remembrance, celebration, and proclamation, detailing the before, the miraculous during, and the glorious after of salvation. It reminds us that Christianity is not a philosophy but a supernatural event in a human life—the day heaven invaded our history.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to keep our personal salvation experience fresh and alive in our hearts. It combats spiritual amnesia, reignites our first love, and gives us a testimony to share. It is a song of vivid remembrance that fuels present gratitude and future hope.
1. It is a Hymn of Unforgettable Encounter and Immediate Transformation (Verse 1)
The hymn begins with an exclamation of awe over a specific day: “Day I will never forget.” This anchors salvation in a real moment in time. It describes the prior state: “I’d wandered in darkness away.” Then comes the divine confrontation: “Jesus my Saviour I met.” The result is not just theological agreement, but a relational revolution. He becomes a “tender, compassionate friend”who meets the deepest needs of the heart. The imagery is powerful: “Shadows dispelling… He made all the darkness depart.” This leads to the explosive chorus describing the cosmic transaction: “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!” The locus of this event is “the cross,”where wholeness was purchased, sins were washed away, and “night was turned to day.”Salvation is portrayed as a glorious, heaven-sent invasion.
2. It is a Hymn of New Birth and New Standing (Verse 2)
This verse explains the spiritual mechanics of that wonderful day. It was a supernatural birth: “Born of the Spirit with life from above.” It was an adoption: “Into God’s fam’ly divine.” It was a legal declaration: “Justified fully thru Calvary’s love.” Our new “standing” before God is one of righteousness and belonging. The hymn emphasizes the simplicity and immediacy of grace: “the transaction so quickly was made.” No lengthy process, just a sinner coming and taking “the offer of grace He did proffer.” The response is pure praise: “He saved me, O praise His dear name!”
3. It is a Hymn of Enduring Hope and Eternal Inheritance (Verse 3)
The testimony looks forward from that foundational day. Because of that day, we now possess a hope that outlasts “the passing of time.” We have a guaranteed “future in Heaven for sure” in those “mansions sublime.” All of this—present hope and future glory—flows directly from “that wonderful day when at the cross I believed.” The benefits are not earthly or temporary, but “riches eternal and blessings supernal” (heavenly), received freely from “His precious hand.” The wonderful day inaugurates an everlasting inheritance.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Have you forgotten the wonder of your salvation? Has your faith become routine, losing the awe of that first encounter? This hymn calls you to remember. Recall your own “wonderful, wonderful day.” Remember the darkness before, the moment you met your compassionate Friend, and the flood of relief and joy when your sins were washed away.
If you have never had that day, this hymn is your invitation. The offer of grace is still proffered. You can come to the cross today, believe, and experience the transaction that makes you whole. Your night can turn to day.
For every believer, let this testimony be your song today. Proclaim it to your own heart and to a world in darkness. Because heaven came down for you, you have an unshakable hope and a glorious future. Never forget that wonderful day.
Praise His dear name!
In the name of Jesus, our compassionate Friend and Savior, Amen.
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