Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Part 2
Great Is Thy Faithfulness was never written for extraordinary lives. It was written for ordinary faithfulness.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Part 2
William sorted through the poems that Thomas had sent him and found them to be quite enjoyable. Among them, he found a true gem. It was entitled, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”.
Thomas’ poem spoke of a God who never changes, who always cares and who provides for all of our needs. The hymn was based upon these verses from Lamentations.
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.
Runyan immediately recognized its value. He wrote, “This particular poem held such an appeal that I prayed most earnestly that my tune might carry its message in a worthy way.”
When it was completed, it instantly became popular at Moody where it was sung in their chapel services. Then, it soared in popularity when George Beverly Shea heard it and began to sing it at Billy Graham’s revivals. Today, it is a staple in nearly every hymnal and sung in nearly every church across the globe.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness was never written for extraordinary lives. It was written for ordinary faithfulness. That’s why this hymn is so important. It is you and it is me. This is our song with God.
Thomas Chisholm never had the ministry he wanted, the health he prayed for, or the recognition his words eventually received. Yet he could still write, “All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.” Not because his life was spectacular, but because his God was faithful.
His hymn teaches us all that God is not just the faithful God of the famous and spectacular, but of every worker, every clerk, every housewife, every teacher, every one of us, meek or bold, strong or weak. That will never change because He is always faithful.
