Divine Faithfulness

As a boy I attended the First Missionary Church of Berne, Indiana where Clyde Sprunger led the singing for many years. Frequently, we sang one of his favorite songs which was #10 in the Church Service Hymns book. Eventually our congregation soon knew all three verses by memory. “Great is thy Faithfulness” is based upon Jeremiah’s words in Lamentations 3:22-23,

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Isaiah the prophet also identifies with the same theme in 42:16 where God faithfully and willing says,

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.”

One day in chapel at Fort Wayne Bible College, one of my students preached on this text. I was blessed as he reminded us that God specializes in faithfulness even in the midst of the unfamiliar, the dark, and the rough circumstances of life. His faithfulness provides comfort, light and smoothness.

Song:

v.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.

V. 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, with ten thousand beside!

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!
--Thomas O. Chisholm