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My Favourite Hymn
My favourite hymn was inspired by one In our world of constant change,
of my favourite Bible verses: “Because upheaval and broken promises, I can
of the Lord’s great love we are not often feel overwhelmed and insecure.
consumed, for his compassions never However, when I sing this hymn, I am
fail. They are new every morning; great reminded that God “does not change
is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3: like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) He
22-23) is constant and can be depended upon
no matter what comes our way. Here
Thomas Chrisholm (1866-1960) wrote are some examples of when I have
the hymn “Great is thy Faithfulness” experienced the truths of this hymn in
in 1925 as a testament to God’s my life…
faithfulness through his very ordinary
life. Born in a log cabin, Chisholm In June 2011 I was preparing to move
became a Christian when he was to Papua New Guinea to serve as a
twenty-seven and entered the ministry missionary school teacher for 2 years.
when he was thirty-six, though poor Having lived at home with my parents
health forced him to retire after just one my whole life up to this point, I was
year of service. Chisholm explained nervous about moving to the other side
toward the end of his long life: “My of the world into a completely new and
income has not been large at any time unfamiliar situation. We sang this hymn
due to impaired health in the earlier at my commissioning service and the
years which has followed me on until line “Thine own dear presence to cheer
now. Although I must not fail to and to guide” reminded me that God
record here the unfailing faithfulness would lead and guide me in this new
of a covenant-keeping God and that journey.
He has given me many wonderful
displays of His providing care, for
which I am filled with astonishing
gratefulness.”
