As we see the colour of some leaves changing, it is a reminder of the changing season. The days are shorter and the temperature is lower than in the summer. Thinking about this reminded me of the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Echoing Lamentations 3:22-23 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” – the hymnwriter draws our attention to the majesty of God:
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.
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,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow:
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
When Karen and I were in Kentucky in May, we didn’t realize that it was in that state that the writer of this beloved hymn was born. According to https://hymnary.org/text/great_is_thy_faithfulness_o_god_my_fathe#Author, “Thomas Chisholm was born in Franklin, Kentucky in 1866. He was converted to Christianity at the age of 26 and in 1903 he entered the ministry of the M. E. Church South. His aim in writing was to incorporate as much of Scripture as possible and to avoid flippant or sentimental themes.” He wrote “Great is Thy Faithfulness” in 1923.
In “Man of God – Strong to Serve” David Schmitt writes: “For our Lord, the greatest soaring happens close to the ground. When he had delivered Israel from Egypt, he described his work in these words: ‘I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself’ (Exodus 19:4).
On eagles’ wings? He had brought them to the desert! A limiting environment. Yet here, Israel would experience the wonder of God.
God’s powerful work came in the smallest provision. Manna. A flake-like crust frosting the ground. God gave Israel the bread of angels. For forty years, they gathered heavenly food from earthly ground.
When Jesus fed the five thousand, what did he use? Five loaves and two fish. The food of the common labourer.”
When we see birds heading south for the winter, let us remember the faithfulness of God in providing all that we need and when we see frost on the ground, may we take comfort knowing that just as God took care of Israel, He will take care of His children today. To God be the glory!
Scripture for the weekend: ““For He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 (KJV)
Thought for the weekend: “Believing prayer takes its stand upon the faithfulness of God.” – D. Edmond Hiebert
Steve