Great is Thy Faithfulness
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
It was Billy Graham and his soloist, George Beverly Shea, who made popular one of Christianity’s posed beloved hymns: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” The words to the hymn began as a poem by Thomas Chisholm who was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1866. It is said that he was self-educated, and plagued with poor health. During his life time he wrote some 1,200 poems and hymns. In addition to “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” he is the author of the well-known “O To Be Like Thee,” and the hymn, “Living for Jesus.” The ups and downs of his life never quenched the poetry in praise of God that flowed from his pen. One of his poems caught the attention of a musician associated with Moody Bible Institute who set it to music. Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is based on Lamentation 3:22-23: “Though the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your Faithfulness.” Chisholm’s well-known paraphrase says, “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine with ten thousand beside! Great Is Thy Faithfulness!”
What does “strength for today” mean? We are familiar with the phrase “grace upon grace” (John 1:16), usually interpreted to mean “one blessing after another,” or “never-ending grace and strength.” That makes sense because “today” only last for 24 hours. The strength we receive today should become accumulate strength as we enter the tomorrows of our life.. Stop and ponder on this… How do we gain “strength for today”? By living in Christ today: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power [strength] of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). We do that by living in the full armor of God: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, the Certainty of Salvation, the Word of God, and Prayer (Ephesians 6:10-18). We can trust in the strength of God’s armor (our life in Christ) because God renews our strength every morning (Isaiah 40:31). There is no strength for today – and thus strength for tomorrow apart from faithfulness to Christ: Prayer, Bible Study, Obedience, Fellowship, and Loving service. It is the strength of Jesus Christ in us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that makes us strong today (Galatians 2:20; 5:22)
Bright Hope for Tomorrow
As I ponder upon today and tomorrow in the context of our prophetic future. Some of us may well be alive when the end of this age comes upon us. We do not know exactly what tomorrow holds , but I believe the future (tomorrow) will be even more challenging than the present (today) But that is no cause for despair! As the hymn writers says, God gives strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Indeed, such hope is the hallmark of God’s prophetic Word. Paul wrote in (1 Corinthians 14:3), that the purpose of prophecy is “edification [strength] and exhortation [encouragement] and comfort [consolation].” We are made strong by knowing God’s prophetic Word regarding the future. And we are encouraged and comforted at the same time because, though we may not know exactly what the future holds, we know exactly Who holds the future. Our hope for tomorrow is bright because of the light God’s Word sheds on our future both temporally and eternally. But if we are to keep the light of hope shining for ourselves and others, we must end today with strength and begin tomorrow the same way. So, as the world around us gets darker by the day, we must spread the strength of our light. We must live a life of faithfulness that conveys strength today and bright hope for tomorrow!
Be Encouraged Today!
As you step into a New Year!
