Faithful - Day 191 Month 7-9 Week 28-2

 Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)


1 Samuel 10:17-12:11, Proverbs 5:1-14, Lamentations 3:19-38, Acts 21:1-26

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2010%3A17-12%3A11%2C%20Proverbs%205%3A1-14%2C%20Lamentations%203%3A19-38%2C%20Acts%2021%3A1-26&version=NASB1995


Faithful

The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22,23).

As I read Lamentations 3:22 and 23, I immediately thought of the old hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness.


Great Is Thy Faithfulness


1. 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 hast provided;
Great is thy faithfulness,
Lord unto me.


2. 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. [Refrain]

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside. [Refrain]

I quickly did some research on the hymn and discovered that the author, Thomas O. Chisholm, wrote the chorus based on Lamentations 3:23 before writing the rest of the hymn.  At a time when much of the Christian church has embraced modern worship choruses, I have to admit that I miss many of the old hymns I grew up singing.  I once heard an older person complain that modern choruses do not have the theological depth of the older hymns.  Maybe I'm just getting older, because there are times when I really appreciate the theological depth of those older hymns and wish they were sung more often.  I have also noticed that when a traditional hymn is included in a worship service, it is often blended with a modern chorus.  Personally, there are times when I would rather sing the hymn just as it was written.

I thought it would be worthwhile to look at some of the truths found in this hymn.

Verse 1: God is faithful.  He does not change, and His compassion never fails. The great truth at the end of this verse is that God has always been and always will be. He is immutable.

Verse 2: God faithfully oversees the changing seasons and the daily rhythm of day and night.  Along with that, the beauty of His creation points to His faithfulness, His mercy toward the world, and His love for all humanity.

Verse 3: God has provided redemption from sin through Jesus' death and resurrection.  Because of Him, we do not have to face the future with fear because His peace is available to us.  He gives us the Holy Spirit to live within us, guiding us and reminding us of who He is.  He gives us strength for today and hope for tomorrow.  More than that, He has given us eternal life, where there will be no more pain or sorrow. How can we not recognize the blessings He has poured into our lives? As the hymn says, "Blessings all mine, and ten thousand beside."

Chorus: After every verse comes the same reminder:  God is faithful.  It is worth saying again.  God is faithful.  His mercies are new every day.  Sometimes we have to slow down and notice them, but they are there.  One line from the chorus especially stands out to me:  "All I have needed Thy hand hath provided."  Of course, I would enjoy having more, but I cannot honestly say I have needed more. His provision has carried me this far, and what He has prepared for eternity is beyond anything I can imagine.  Once again, I am reminded that God has been faithful to me.

If God has been faithful to me, then I want to do my best to be faithful to Him. He has given me so much.

I know some who read this may not feel that same sense of faithfulness.  Maybe life has been difficult, or perhaps you are walking through a hard time right now. Maybe you have never come to know God personally.  You can, through Jesus.  If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me.  My email address is below.


Have a great day!

Steve

steve.d.pauls@gmail.com


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