Dec. 6: Faithfully - Alice Finnell

When I saw “faithfulness” in the Advent Devotional sign up list, I immediately thought of the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness. It was written in 1923 with words by Thomas O. Chisholm and music by William M. Runyan.

Here are the words for the first verse. 

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou has been, thou forever wilt be.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided;
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

 This hymn is based on Lamentations 3:22-23.    “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.” NIV

 Can you recall a time when you had to close your eyes, pray, and walk by faith?  Would God hear your prayer?  Perhaps we have been there, or maybe not.  Sometimes the compassion and  faithfulness of God is overwhelming and hard to digest.  But He is faithful and does indeed listen.  I find comfort and hope in the hymn line that says “all I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.”

—Alice Finnell