Great is Thy Faithfulness

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When asked what compelled Thomas Chisholm to pen the words to Great is Thy Faithfulness, he simply replied that there were no special circumstances surrounding the hymn, only his life experience and Bible truth.

Life experience and Bible truth.  So simplistic, yet at the same time, something each of us strives for everyday.  Many times I find myself pondering just what my life experiences have to teach me.  Just today as I listened to this hymn, I remembered thirty some years ago, standing in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church holding tightly the hand of my grandfather. 

We didn’t normally sit together in church, I was in the children’s choir, and he usually too frail or unwilling to come to services. But this one day we found ourselves by each other’s side, and this one day changed my life forever.  My grandmother, his wife, had died, and we were at the funeral service.

My Mom Mom was the strongest woman I have ever known.  At a little over 5 feet tall, she carried an essence of surety in herself that I craved. She was never too weak to complete any task, and even fell ill because she was chopping ice in the driveway one winter at the age of 84.

She had begun to tell me about Jesus, and a fire began to stir inside of me.  A few short months later, she had passed on to sit in His lap for all eternity.

My grandfather on the other hand was the scariest person I ever met. I recall him sitting in his chair in the dining room by the window residing over his manor. It seemed his eyes followed us everywhere, and he never smiled, never socialized. He was dying of cancer. My parents would simply admonish me to be more understanding.

After my grandmother passed, my grandfather moved in with us. It seemed that he and I were struck to the very core of our being and we had lost something too dear to recount. That loss forged our souls together, and here we stood in this church singing Great is Thy Faithfulness, as we prepared to say goodbye to a woman we both loved dearly.

Great is Thy faithfulness, Oh 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 will be

 

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand has provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

I can still feel and see my Pop Pop’s hand clinging mine.  I can still hear him sing the words of the hymn declaring the faithfulness of a God that took away the woman we both so dearly loved.  I can still remember that same kindling feeling in my spirit, a feeling of comfort and understanding washing over me, letting me know everything was going to be alright. 

My life experience will recount that my grandfather and I had a great relationship.  He taught me so much about myself, and I can accredit to him many of the reasons that I am the woman I am today, including my walk with Jesus, and my love of the Word. He taught me how to be excited about reading and learning, and how to be still in the presence of God and others.  He taught me about quiet strength and resilience. That which seemed so scary, became so right in my life.

My knowledge of the Word taught me:

“Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!” (Matthew 5:4, AMP)

We were both comforted that day. God’s faithfulness, God’s grace provided for us a relationship that healed our hearts, and enabled us to move forward with our lives.

So life experience and Biblical truth teach me that regardless of the circumstances, and how dim things may seem, God is there.  He doesn’t change and He is faithful to meet us and provide for us in every circumstance in a way that will bless us beyond our hopes or dreams.  I had hoped to have a longer relationship with my grandmother, but I am thankful for God’s faithfulness in providing the relationship with my grandfather that changed me forever.

• Standing Firm in the Storms of Life
• Mapping Out The Journey
• I'll Give You Peace
• Fear Not...There are No Victims...
• The Expectation of Christmas

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Written by Dawn · Filed Under Bible Based Living 

Dawn's life is full as a pastor's wife, mother of three, business woman, servant leader at church, and a student. More important than busyness is her goal to be fruitful in the life God has called her to serve. Through her writing, Dawn will take you on a journey through three subjects that have impacted and changed her life. RHYTHMS OF GRACE uses Christian music and Scripture as points of reference, to encourage others to see God in the everyday moments. ONE SCARED CHICK is a journey through the subject of FEAR and God's promises to each of us. LOVE IS...a search for our identities, and the ability to make better choices during the journey. Please comment and share your own personal journeys as we walk through the thread of God's grace...

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