Rockfield United Methodist Church.
Hymn Story | Great is Thy Faithfulness
Locations & Times
Rockfield United Methodist Church
682 Richpond Rockfield Rd, Rockfield, KY 42274, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
Welcome! So glad you’re here.
If I asked you what’s your favorite hymn or worship song, what would you say? Today, I’d like to tell you a story, one that has some local history to us here in Kentucky.
If I asked you what’s your favorite hymn or worship song, what would you say? Today, I’d like to tell you a story, one that has some local history to us here in Kentucky.
Main idea: In life you can focus on failures or on God’s faithfulness. Choose the latter. Face each day focusing on God’s faithfulness.
Thomas Chisholm in his younger years.
Thomas Obadiah Chisholm was born in a log cabin on July 29, 1866 in Franklin, Kentucky right down the road in Simpson County. He spent his childhood on a farm and though he didn’t go to high school or receive formal training, he was very intelligent. At the age of sixteen he taught school at the little country schoolhouse. When he was twenty-one he became the associate editor of his hometown newspaper, the Franklin Advocate.
Six years later, around the age of twenty-seven, Thomas attended a revival meeting in Franklin led by Dr. Henry Clay Morrison who founded Asbury University and Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. It was at this revival in 1893 that Thomas Chisholm became a follower of Jesus, and his life was changed. Soon afterward he moved to Louisville and became the editor and office manager at a Christian publishing house. He began using his intellect and gifts for God’s kingdom.
In the fall of 1903 Thomas married the love of his life, Katie Vandervere, and together they started a family, having two daughters, Ruth and Dorothy.
Around 37 years old, Thomas was ordained in the Methodist Church and joined the Louisville Conference. Chisholm was given his first appointment as a Methodist pastor in Scottsville, Kentucky. However, his health began to fail. After just one year he had to leave his congregation and ministry altogether. As his health issues continued over the years that followed, hospital bills began piling up and he soon had financial struggles.
The question is, What do we do when our dreams disintegrate? What do we do when our plans come crashing down? When disappointment hits? When expectations go unfulfilled? When you face a new reality? When our faith fails? I’ll tell you what Thomas did. He focused on God’s faithfulness.
That’s the choice we all have.
We can look at the circumstances, all the different factors, and focus on the failure, OR we can face each day focusing on God’s faithfulness.
Yes, Thomas was no longer a pastor, but now he had time to write poetry and hymns. Yes, he had health problems, but he had a loving wife and two daughters. Yes, he had financial burdens, but he found a new job that helped him. No matter what, Thomas chose to focus on God’s faithfulness.
Listen to his words. Thomas said, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God, and that God has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”
To recover from his health issues, Chisholm left Kentucky and relocated his family to a farm near Winona Lake, Indiana. In 1909, he became a life insurance agent. Then in 1916, he moved to New Jersey until he retired in 1953 and spent the rest of his years in a Methodist Assisted Living and Nursing Home.
Six years later, around the age of twenty-seven, Thomas attended a revival meeting in Franklin led by Dr. Henry Clay Morrison who founded Asbury University and Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. It was at this revival in 1893 that Thomas Chisholm became a follower of Jesus, and his life was changed. Soon afterward he moved to Louisville and became the editor and office manager at a Christian publishing house. He began using his intellect and gifts for God’s kingdom.
In the fall of 1903 Thomas married the love of his life, Katie Vandervere, and together they started a family, having two daughters, Ruth and Dorothy.
Around 37 years old, Thomas was ordained in the Methodist Church and joined the Louisville Conference. Chisholm was given his first appointment as a Methodist pastor in Scottsville, Kentucky. However, his health began to fail. After just one year he had to leave his congregation and ministry altogether. As his health issues continued over the years that followed, hospital bills began piling up and he soon had financial struggles.
The question is, What do we do when our dreams disintegrate? What do we do when our plans come crashing down? When disappointment hits? When expectations go unfulfilled? When you face a new reality? When our faith fails? I’ll tell you what Thomas did. He focused on God’s faithfulness.
That’s the choice we all have.
We can look at the circumstances, all the different factors, and focus on the failure, OR we can face each day focusing on God’s faithfulness.
Yes, Thomas was no longer a pastor, but now he had time to write poetry and hymns. Yes, he had health problems, but he had a loving wife and two daughters. Yes, he had financial burdens, but he found a new job that helped him. No matter what, Thomas chose to focus on God’s faithfulness.
Listen to his words. Thomas said, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God, and that God has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”
To recover from his health issues, Chisholm left Kentucky and relocated his family to a farm near Winona Lake, Indiana. In 1909, he became a life insurance agent. Then in 1916, he moved to New Jersey until he retired in 1953 and spent the rest of his years in a Methodist Assisted Living and Nursing Home.
Thomas Chisholm in his later years
But it was the year 1923 for which Thomas is most well known. Thomas loved God and he loved poetry, and when he was 57 Thomas wrote a poem entitled, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. Over the course of his life he wrote 1,2000 poems and hymns. Chisholm said that the difficulties in his life led him to write hymns of comfort and cheer for those in similar circumstances.
Thomas was an ordinary man, yet his influence has been extraordinary. God used something little and made it great. This hymn easily makes it in the top 10 most beloved and popular church hymns. Popularized by the Billy Graham crusades in the 1950’s, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” has touched many, and been sung by millions of people.
William Runyan, the hymn’s music composer said this, “Chisholm’s poem held such appeal that I prayed most earnestly that my tune might carry over its message in a worthy way, and the subsequent history of its use indicates that God answered prayer.” Yes, this is a beautiful prayer! ‘Lord, make my life carry your message in a worthy way.’
You don’t have to achieve great successes or endure great trauma and sorrow to be amazed at God’s faithfulness. It’s not just in our highs and lows, but in the mundane everyday life that we see Jesus show up!
Thomas was an ordinary man, yet his influence has been extraordinary. God used something little and made it great. This hymn easily makes it in the top 10 most beloved and popular church hymns. Popularized by the Billy Graham crusades in the 1950’s, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” has touched many, and been sung by millions of people.
William Runyan, the hymn’s music composer said this, “Chisholm’s poem held such appeal that I prayed most earnestly that my tune might carry over its message in a worthy way, and the subsequent history of its use indicates that God answered prayer.” Yes, this is a beautiful prayer! ‘Lord, make my life carry your message in a worthy way.’
You don’t have to achieve great successes or endure great trauma and sorrow to be amazed at God’s faithfulness. It’s not just in our highs and lows, but in the mundane everyday life that we see Jesus show up!
Hymn Lyrics & Meaning
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 hast been, Thou forever will 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
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with 10,000 beside
Each of the verses focuses on God’s faithfulness throughout scripture, creation, and our lives. The words of verse 1 are from James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” I’m so glad God’s deep compassion and care for us is unfailing, never changing.
Verse 2 is from Genesis 8:22, God’s promise of blessing to humanity, “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” The whole universe is witnessing to God’s faithfulness. Each day and every season that comes and goes, we get to join with all creation in declaring God’s faithfulness, mercy, and love!
Verse 3 speaks of pardon for sin and peace that endures. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our wrongdoing, he is faithful and true to forgive and cleanse us.” You see, God is not just interested in freely forgiving us, but in greatly transforming us! Jesus gives us his peace (the enduring sense of wholeness and wellbeing from our relationship with him) no matter what happens. (John 14:27)
So do you need encouragement? Guidance? Strength? Hope? God gives it to us through the Spirit’s presence! Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Finally, the words of the chorus are from Lamentations 3:22-23. It’s a lament, grief poetry written after the devastating Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. Yet the author is filled with hope in God. Why? Because God’s loyal love hasn’t ended. God’s compassions don’t stop. God’s mercies are renewed every morning. God’s faithfulness is great (Psalm 36:5, Galatians 5:22).
Faithfulness is God’s steadfast commitment to our good.
Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “God is so rich in mercy, and loved us so much, that even when we were dead in our sins, God gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.”
Mercy is God’s kindness shown when we deserve otherwise.
“Morning by morning new mercies I see. Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.” Lord, open my eyes to see!
Remember, you can face life focusing on failure or on God’s faithfulness. Choose the latter.
Application: Think about God’s faithfulness in your life.Where do you need God’s mercies?
I encourage you to put this verse on your fridge or somewhere to remind you each morning. Lamentations 3:23, “God, your mercies are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness!”
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 hast been, Thou forever will 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
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with 10,000 beside
Each of the verses focuses on God’s faithfulness throughout scripture, creation, and our lives. The words of verse 1 are from James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” I’m so glad God’s deep compassion and care for us is unfailing, never changing.
Verse 2 is from Genesis 8:22, God’s promise of blessing to humanity, “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” The whole universe is witnessing to God’s faithfulness. Each day and every season that comes and goes, we get to join with all creation in declaring God’s faithfulness, mercy, and love!
Verse 3 speaks of pardon for sin and peace that endures. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our wrongdoing, he is faithful and true to forgive and cleanse us.” You see, God is not just interested in freely forgiving us, but in greatly transforming us! Jesus gives us his peace (the enduring sense of wholeness and wellbeing from our relationship with him) no matter what happens. (John 14:27)
So do you need encouragement? Guidance? Strength? Hope? God gives it to us through the Spirit’s presence! Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Finally, the words of the chorus are from Lamentations 3:22-23. It’s a lament, grief poetry written after the devastating Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. Yet the author is filled with hope in God. Why? Because God’s loyal love hasn’t ended. God’s compassions don’t stop. God’s mercies are renewed every morning. God’s faithfulness is great (Psalm 36:5, Galatians 5:22).
Faithfulness is God’s steadfast commitment to our good.
Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “God is so rich in mercy, and loved us so much, that even when we were dead in our sins, God gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.”
Mercy is God’s kindness shown when we deserve otherwise.
“Morning by morning new mercies I see. Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.” Lord, open my eyes to see!
Remember, you can face life focusing on failure or on God’s faithfulness. Choose the latter.
Application: Think about God’s faithfulness in your life.Where do you need God’s mercies?
I encourage you to put this verse on your fridge or somewhere to remind you each morning. Lamentations 3:23, “God, your mercies are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness!”
Resources
Tremper Longman, Jeremiah & Lamentations Commentary
C. Michael Hawn, History of Hymns: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Taylor Brantley, The Story Behind: Great Is Thy Faithfulness
William J. Reynolds, Hymns of our Faith
Tremper Longman, Jeremiah & Lamentations Commentary
C. Michael Hawn, History of Hymns: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Taylor Brantley, The Story Behind: Great Is Thy Faithfulness
William J. Reynolds, Hymns of our Faith