Great is Your Faithfulness
My “ROCK-solid” foundation came as a result of having parents that loved and served God with all their hearts. Our church seemed to be our second home. We were in there whenever the doors opened – oftentimes five times (or more) a week. I’m a lifelong Sunday School girl, and my memory bank is packed full of children’s songs (with the hand motions that accompanied them), as well as all the verses of many hymns and choruses. There are so many beautiful songs written today and sung by incredible artists, but when I find myself humming or singing a tune, it’s usually one that goes way back. One of my favorites is the old hymn, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.“ written in 1925. The lyrics come from Lamentations 3:22-24 “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.”
Nighttime – seems to present the toughest times when sleep is disturbed by worry, concern and fear. I remember, as a little girl, having a bad dream or one of those awful virus bugs, and the long, long, nights that seemed like they would never end. I remember very long and troubled nights when my young children suffered from an illness or were afraid of something and they’d crawl into bed with us for comfort. I remember the many painful nights that my sweetheart struggled for rest and peace in his body. But, in every nighttime interruption of sleep, I remember the sweet mornings that eventually came, when hope and comfort was restored. Surely, the line of the song that said, “Morning by morning new mercies I see…..” was so true. Those mercies ARE new every morning. Great is God’s faithfulness to us.
Typically we don’t wake in the morning thinking about God’s mercies. We’re already in the “to-do-list” mode. Rather than listing God’s mercies, we’re listing our concerns and worries for this new day. In my morning prayer time, I really do endeavor to adore, worship and thank God before I go into my “needs and wants” list. That old hymn rolls around in my head and instead of all those needs, wants and desires, I start to hum the tune I’ve known since childhood. And it reminds me of the God who has loved me since long before that.
“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!
That “All I have needed” part is what makes me stop and be thankful. Do I really believe that “all I have needed His hand has provided? Do I live like I really believe that? The list is so numerous when I start to ponder His faithfulness to me – my 25+ year old washer and dryer that continue to work so faithfully, my strength and good health that I never take for granted, my precious family, my friends, my churches, my 6-year old car, my sound mind, my dishwasher, microwave, stove, refrigerator, fresh water, warmth in the winter, air conditioning in the summer, living in America, for the kindness of others, for the internet and Facebook, for food and clothes. And, so many more things that can be added to God’s faithfulness.
God’s faithfulness is new every morning in hundreds of different ways. In all the ups and downs, disappointments and joys, the good times and the bad….there is this one thing that doesn’t change — God’s faithfulness.
I so desperately want to become an expert at believing that. Just think, with each new day, God gives us the chance to prove His faithfulness. And throughout history, He’s never once been proven wrong, for His mercies are new every morning, no matter what.