Great is Thy Faithfulness

Jul 27, 2023

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” was a poem written by Thomas Chisholm, a Methodist minister from Kentucky. He wrote the poem in 1923 about God’s faithfulness over his lifetime. What inspired him was the passage in Lamentations 3:22-23 as he was suffering from chronic illness most of his life. He said, "God has given me many wonderful displays of his providing care, which have filled me with astonishing gratefulness."

The music was specifically composed for the poem by his friend, William M. Runyan, after being touched by the message. It was later popularized by the Moody Bible Institute and the Billy Graham’s crusades.

The message of this popular song reverberates through a lot of people who are experiencing the unfailing faithfulness of God, in the midst of all the challenges they are facing. Some fail to see His faithfulness because they choose to dwell on their difficulties and afflictions, instead of trusting God. He is just waiting for them to humbly call and He will surely answer.

Others have become too laid back and comfortably living an easy life when there is more than enough of everything for them to enjoy. Quite often, It results in forgetting that God is the source of everything we enjoy, and not us. When God takes away those things, we react because we think that God is angry at us, which is far from the true character of God. He allows it because He cares and He wants to teach us some lessons to not depend on ourselves but only on Him. At times, we feel that God is too remote and distant; but actually; He is much closer, waiting for us to respond. He simply waits patiently until such time we realize our mistakes.

God is faithful when we are not. When we are busy with other things, and have no time for Him, He grieves, longing that we return to Him immediately for He knows that the consequences of the wrong choices we make will greatly trouble us. Let us not think for a moment that God loves it when we are being chasticed.

Our God is the loving Father to His prodical son. Our relationship with the Heavenly Father sustains us that during the times we decide to live contrary to His will, He allows it, but with heavyness in His heart, again to teach us some important lessons in life. But He is always waiting, and daily looking afar off and anticipating for his son to return. Praise God, a true son of God will come back!

God’s faithfulness is always fresh like the dew in the early morning. He never dwells in our past mistakes. When He forgives, He chooses to forget. True repentance does not need to be doubted and questioned; when the one who returns come humbly to God. The father in the story of the Prodigal Son, did not question his wayward son when he returned. The father did not ask where he was, or what he did. The father did not make a statements such as, “I am glad you realized your mistke,” or “I told you so.” He only had his arms wide open, all ready to forgive and to restore his son. It ended with a grand celebration because his son has finally returned.

Too often, we think of God as tough and unmoved; that He is not affected by our unfaithfulness, grief, and sorrows. Yes, He is The Almighty God but when it is concerning His children, He is always a loving and an adoring father. When we are in trouble or when we suffer afflictions, God feels our pain. It is a choice He makes that defines and describes how Great His faithfulness is toward us. Why would He allow Himself to suffer, when as the Almighty God, He does not have to? Well, it was His love and mercies that make Him choose to suffer as we grieve and he is willing to carry our sorrows.

His faithfulness does not add more pain and burden into our suffering everytime we are found guilty of sin and unfaithfulness. Our text says His “mercies” prevent us to be consumed. Notice the plural form of mercy. His mercies prevent us to go deeper into sin. Have you ever

experienced committing sin and because of the feeling of guilt and unworthiness, you end up committing more mistakes? God is aware of that! He is willing to give us mercy after mercy; forgiveness after forgiveness until we are finally restored and safe in His care.

“His compassion never fails” is a powerful phrase of assurance that when we fail, He remains faithful. When we quit, He is still faithfull. This again proves that we are totally secured in Christ. It speaks of our eternal salvation that no one can ever take away from us. I will never hesitate to say again and again that once we are saved, we are forever saved because His compassion never fails.”

Conclusion:

May the message of this song continues to reverberate and remind us that our God is ever faithful, not only to bless, protect, and sustain us. He is also ever faithful to join us as we grieve, carry our sorrows. He is ever faithful to wait for us to return into His loving arms. Let me share with you the words of this song:

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 hast been,

Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning

new mercies I see;

all I have needed