Great Is Thy Faithfulness
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! 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!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
by Thomas O. Chisholm
- Jesus predicated his promise of the kingdom on God’s faithfulness. The hymnwriter not only praises God’s faithfulness, but he further states that God never changes. Where did he get that idea?
- If God is faithful and never changes, how does that truth shape our understanding of God’s words in the Bible?
- Secular thinkers believe that nothing is absolute. They teach that humanity and all truths are constantly in a state of flux. How could you explain God’s unchanging nature and faithfulness to someone who believes that humans must try to understand how truth is changing in each new generation? Hint: look at verse 2
- What are the five blessings the hymn writer lists in verse 3?
- Jesus told us to stop worrying about our daily needs, and then he said, “It is God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” If we believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, how does that understanding shape our faith in this promise? How does the hymn writer assert his faith in that promise?
Great Is Thy Faithfulness by Thomas O. Chisholm C 1923. Ren. 1951 Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188, www.hopepublishing.com. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Living On Tilt 
The hymnwriter drew from Hebrew’s 13:8 which says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Since God never changes, what He has revealed to us in the Bible about Himself will never change. Also, God’s character is revealed in His law, which also cannot change. The truths of the Bible are absolute because God’s teachings never change.
The secular thinkers I’ve talked with don’t believe in absolute truths, as if the word “truth” has no real meaning to them. I think Christians giving witness to them in our actions can in some cases bring them to really know God as He is (unchanging, loving and merciful), then accept God, and accept that God created unchanging and absolute truth. In addition, when we look at the unchanging laws of science only God could create, this ensures the unchanging characteristics of life for all generations.
Blessings Mr. Chilshom expresses God showers on us, if we will come to Him, are pardon, peace, presence, strength, and hope. God’s faithfulness is consistent and everlasting, giving us His kingdom now and forever. The promises Jesus gave us will be fulfilled because He is God and God speaks the truth. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!
Betsy
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