Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Insurance agent Thomas O. Chisholm, born in a log cabin in Kentucky and came to Christ at the age of 27, certainly had his share of disappointments in life. His health had been fragile, forcing him to resign as a Methodist minister after only one year of service. But he enjyed writing and submitted his poetry to various Christian magazines. Sometimes he got rejection slips, sometimes acceptances, but he seldom received any money. He earned his meager living selling life insurance.

Through all the ups and down, he discovered new blessings from God every morning. The third chapter of Lamentations 3 became precious to him: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:22-25.

When he was seventy-five, living in a Methodist Home for the Aged in Ocean Park, New Jersey, he wrote - "My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on unitl now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness." Thomas died in Ocean Park in 1960. During his lifetime he wrote 1200 poems and hymns.

(Compiled from the "One Year Great Songs of Faith" and "Then Sings My Soul")

Verse 1

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.

Chorus
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!

 Verse 2
Summer and winter, and spring time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithuflness, mercy and love.

Verse 3
Pardon for sin and a peace that indureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

THOMAS OBADIAH CHISHOLM (1866-1960)