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Text: Thomas Obediah Chisholm, 1923
Tune: FAITHFULNESS, William Marion Runyan, 1923
From Praise! Our Songs and Hymns, 1979
...morning by morning new mercies I see... all I have needed Thy hand hath provided -
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Last week we buried a very dear friend and member of our congregation. We sang this song at her funeral and I've been thinking lately about the power of singing together as a congregation. When someone dies, we ask why and why now and why her... but we sing a song like Great is Thy Faithfulness when we gather to remember her. We might not really feel the truth of the words, but we know that they are true. Singing a familiar, favorite song in the presence of others can bring comfort, assurance and hope.
Last night, this woman's daughter came to our worship band rehearsal and was struggling to hold back tears the whole evening. The pain of her loss was palpable in the room and singing along was not easy for her. We can't always get the words out when we most need to hear them. The songs we sing from our deepest hurting places do not sound beautiful. They are sung with wavering voices, choked out through tears as we desperately hope and pray that the words are true But it is at these times most of all that we need to be reminded that God does not change. He does not turn from us. He never wavers in his promises and he is always faithful. It is also at these times that the rest of the community can lend their voices to those hurting the most and carry the tune with confidence until they are ready to sing again.
If you are doubting God's faithfulness today, I hope the words of this beloved hymn will remind you of truths that are hard to believe right now. If you are confident in His faithfulness today, look around you. You might see someone who needs you to sing with them through their night until the sun rises again with renewed mercies and hope in our unchanging Lord.
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