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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
-Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
-James 1:17 KJV
This Sunday, we will be singing a favorite hymn of many, Great is Thy Faithfulness. Two years ago, when we did a survey of our congregation's favorite hymns, Great is thy Faithfulness and Blessed Assurance were tied as the #5 most requested hymn at JCPC, unless you counted that one person listed Great is Thy Faithfulness three times on their survey!
The author of the text, Thomas Obadiah Chisholm, was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. During his career, he was a schoolteacher, an associate newspaper editor, office editor and business manager, a Methodist minister, and finally a life insurance agent. He wrote more than 1200 poems, many of which became prominent hymn texts. In 1941, he wrote, "My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness."
And in 1923, Chisholm sent several poems to Rev. W. M. Runyan, and the rest is history: Runyan later wrote, "This particular poem [Great is Thy Faithfulness] held such an appeal that I prayed most earnestly that my tune might carry over its message in a worthy way, and the subsequent history of its use indicates that God answered prayer. It was written in Baldwin, Kansas, in 1923, and was first published in my private song pamphlets."
It became a favorite hymn of the Moody Bible Institute, and then became world-famous during the Billy Graham Crusades, often sung by George Beverly Shea. If you want to hear his version, click here.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not; thy compassions they fail not.
As thou has been thou forever wilt be.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
Throughout the Bible, we read account after account of God keeping his promises to his people. God's love, mercy, and compassion overflow from the pages of scripture. As you join us in singing these praises to God this Sunday, remember all that God has done for you, and in thanksgiving, seek ways to extend that kindness and mercy to others.
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