9th - 15th June 2025
Great is Thy Faithfulness
One of my favourite old hymns is Great is Thy Faithfulness, written over 100 years ago by a young American minister, Thomas Chisholm, and set to music by a musician friend from the Moody Bible Institute. It was taken up by Billy Graham in his 1950 crusades, and we’ve all been singing it ever since. Like many others, it was our wedding hymn – expressing God’s faithfulness to us individually and together.
It’s sung regularly in Glenabbey, but one Sunday morning it didn’t begin in the usual way. Instead, it was preceded by a song that led beautifully into the old hymn. (Stevie and Corrie sang it to us during the Covid months – listen to it below).
This is the first verse:
Morning by morning, I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God's hand in mine
Season by season, I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me
The words really strike a chord with me. Every single day, God is there before me. Every season of the year, he is there. Every season of life, he is there. In trials or troubles – he is there.
Making a decision to follow the Lord God is the start of a journey of getting to know him and learning that he is faithful to his promises. And this is especially important in times of uncertainty, when there could be many outcomes in the situations we face. I so easily travel down the worry and doubting route because I am a weak, sinful individual (who has to fight the worry gene), and the Lord has had to teach me and remind me so often to trust him.
I believed in him at 12; I believe even more now at nearly 70, because he has been faithful and guided me in every season of life so far. Looking back, I see it – even though I may not have fully understood “the mystery” of his way at the time. But looking forward, I pray my faith will be stronger, because I remember what he has done and how he has kept the promise of his Word.
Many years ago, a good friend was talking about faith and came up with this little mnemonic to illustrate what faith is. She apologised for its simplicity, but it stayed with me as a reminder not to depend on feelings only, but to base our faith on the truth and fact:
F – Feelings
A – Aren’t
I – It …
T – Take
H – Hold
Let’s take hold this week of some of the truths about the one true faithful God we love and follow.
Written by Heather Lennox
MONDAY
Perfectly faithful through all generations
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:9
LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1
Prayer:
Father God, you are constantly faithful, never changing. Just as we read in Deuteronomy about how you kept a covenant of love to the people of Israel, so you keep that same covenant to us who love and follow you. You had a plan from the beginning, which I see mapped through your Word. How wonderful that I am part of that salvation plan right now. Today I want to tell you how much I love you and thank you for your watchfulness and love to me. Amen.
TUESDAY
Faithful anew every day
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Lamentations 3:22–24
Prayer:
Dear Lord, there are many pains and trials to be faced in this broken world. But thank you I never have to do it alone, and that you have all things in control. So, in another new day, I tell myself again that you are the One I trust completely. I pray for your help to hold on to your Word – especially in the mysteries I don’t fully understand… yet. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
Faithful because He has promised to be
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23
Prayer:
Thank you, Father God, that I can live each day absolutely sure of your salvation plan. That is the fact of history that gives me hope and a future, no matter what things look like in this world right now. Thank you that your Holy Spirit is always present to help me believe without wavering and to show me you are faithful and fulfill every promise. Amen.
THURSDAY
Faithful to forgive
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that because you are faithful and just, I can know for sure that I was forgiven completely when I confessed my sin and gave my life to you. Only in heaven will I be made perfect, so until that day I bring before you daily those sins which so easily entangle. I claim your cleansing anew and ask for your help to live a life pleasing to you. Amen.
FRIDAY
Faithful guardian
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank and praise you that you have defeated the evil one once and for all. But in my human weakness, he will try every way to bring worries and fears and cause me to question my faith. But you are faithful. Thank you that you set me in a firm place of truth and protect me from the enemy’s schemes. Your words are true and good, and you are the Keeper of promises. Amen.
SATURDAY
Faithful beyond measure
Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Psalm 36:5
Prayer:
Father God, thank you for the poetry of your Word, which helps me to meditate on the wonder of your mighty love and faithfulness. As I look to the beauty and colour of the skies – immeasurable – and to the clouds which so often symbolise your presence and leading, I praise you today for your never-ending love and faithfulness. Amen.
SUNDAY
Faithful inheritance
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
John 14:1–3
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Revelation 19:11, 16
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, how wonderful that you are right now preparing heaven for all who love and serve you. And there is a place for each person! These are your words to each of us. And the real beauty is that you, who are Faithful and True, will be there. I thank and praise you now for what is to come. Amen.