Great is Thy Faithfulness

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.

These words are part of a beloved hymn that extols the faithfulness of God, expressed most clearly in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Growing up I remember hearing stories and witnessing for myself examples of great faithfulness. My maternal grandmother (my mother’s mom) lived 93 years (she died in 1993), and I always remember how near a hymn of the Church was to hear lips and how at night she would repeat a simple prayer with us when we stayed at our house. Though a childlike prayer learned in her youth, she prayed it with such sincerity and earnestness that I knew that beyond the prescripted poetic prayer there were thousands of other prayers prayed over a lifetime relying upon the faithfulness of God. Great is Thy faithfulness!

My paternal grandmother (my dad’s mom) is now over 90 years old, and although according to her doctors, her health is fading, my recent conversation with her involved her giving me more comfort than I feel I gave to her. There was an underlying confidence in her voice about the faithfulness of God, the God who keeps His promises and who finds a way to conquer, even when things and people around us (even our bodies!) start to give way. Granny Dee, as we call her, is what I would call a “truth-teller” in our family. Oh, we are all truthful people as best we can, but Granny Dee has a way of getting to the heart of a matter and speaking clearly. This comes from a lifetime of interacting with the God who is Truth, and whose truth is seen in real life in faithful keeping of His Word. Great is Thy faithfulness.

My brother and I grew up hearing stories of both our grandfathers making deals “on a handshake.” There were no wordy contracts that required many signatures for most of the transactions they were involved in, whether buying or selling. Rather, they did business with those whom they trusted, and those who did business with them saw enough of their lives to see faithfulness. This faithfulness, they would attest, is not simply something that came from their surroundings or even from their own natures. Rather, their desire for faithfulness was derived from the faithfulness in a loving and consistent and faithful God. Great is Thy faithfulness.

For my parents, their relationship with my brother and me was marked with love and generosity. We saw these traits through their interactions with us and with others. To this day, my brother and I can quote versions of the following speech, often delivered to us before we left the house on some adventure: “I don’t care where you are or what you are doing, you can always call us and tell us the truth, and we will be there for you.” What a legacy! We never felt we had to “hide” from our parents, although I’m sure we tried occasionally. Rather, we learned (sometimes the hard way) that truth, consistency, and faithfulness were the measurement of “success” in any relationship. They had learned it from their parents – and from their Heavenly Father! Great is Thy Faithfulness.

So, how does God measure important things like “success” and “wisdom” and “holiness” in our lives? The biblical examples have a common theme: faithfulness! When the Bible reminds us to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” the writer recognizes that there is a real difference between God and us. God knows this, too! God also recognizes that His perfection is greater than ours. Therefore, the way God seems to take measure of what it means for us to be His child, to be transformed into His image, and to become what He has intended us to be is not some impossible dream. It is about faithfulness: consistently allowing God to work in us, telling the truth in love, and moving forward as the Spirit of God leads. Jesus demonstrates this faithfulness throughout the Gospels and throughout our lives. And, God gives us the means by which to follow in faithfulness: He empowers us by His Spirit to be faithful people, too! As the chorus of that hymn reminds us: “All I have needed Thy hand has provided....” That includes the ability to grow in grace, to love as Jesus loved, and to be faithful! Let’s be people who seek out and follow the faithfulness of Jesus in all of our relationships. Great is THY faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

-- Charles W. Christian (Revised and Reprinted from the August 2010 Grace Encounters Newsletter)