Monthly Archives: June 2015

All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided

Can we really count on God to meet all of our needs?

YES.

Really? How can we know this?

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.

Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.

Thomas Chisholm wrote these words, and sang them with confidence because he made a habit of remembering. He chose over and over again to recall all the times that God had provided for him.

When doubts creep in, make a habit of remembering. Choose–and then continue to choose– to bring to mind God’s past faithfulness in your life, and in the lives of others. And then choose to thank God for His consistent loving care.

The longer we follow God, the louder we sing

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. Psalm 37:25

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No Shadow of Turning

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by Lydia Floren

It is so easy to doubt God in a crisis.

Is God really going to provide?

Is He really going to take care of my current situation? Or is it all up to me?

In his song “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” Thomas Chisholm answers these questions with a remarkable image:

Great is your faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee.

There is no shadow of turning with Thee.

What is a “shadow of turning?” When you are walking in the sunshine, you have a shadow. Every little motion you make is reflected by your shadow. Any time you turn a little to the right or left, your shadow also turns. And if, as you are going along, you notice that your shadow has changed, you can be sure that your direction has also shifted.

When Thomas Chisholm says “there is no shadow of turning with Thee” he is pointing out God’s consistency. God is steadily walking toward the light, toward Truth, and He invites us to follow. As we do, we are, naturally, in His shadow. If God were to get off course—to turn to the right or left—we would no longer be directly in His shadow. The shadow would have turned.

In whatever crisis we face, we can count on God. He will lead. He will provide. He will see us through. 100% of the time. There is no shift—not even a slight one– in God’s faithfulness to us.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV

Related Posts: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Recent Series: NOMB Part I, NOMB Part II, NOMB Part III

Great is Your Faithfulness

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by Lydia Floren

I went to a funeral recently. A celebration, really, of a life lived walking with God. The service was mostly music, and during the course of an hour the 400 or so of us attendees (or should I say participants?) sang a variety of classic hymns. I haven’t sung those words in years, yet I still knew most of the songs by heart. I guess that’s what comes from occupying a Baptist pew 3 times a week for 18 years. As I sang verse after verse of those old hymns, their words “fell fresh” on my heart. What wisdom and encouragement those hymnists gave us! The words of Thomas Chisholm, in his song “Great is thy faithfulness,“ were particularly encouraging to my tired heart.

“Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father…”

What does “faithful” mean, exactly?

“Faithful” is a powerful word. A faithful person is consistent. Steady. Loyal. Constant. In our corner. A faithful friend is “there” for us. A faithful person has our back, no matter what. Chisholm declared God’s faithfulness. How exactly is He faithful?

God is faithful to Himself.

No matter what, God is

Consistently loving.
Steadily leading.
Loyally defending.
Constantly providing.
Always present.

And God is always good.

God is faithful to us. Whether we are faithful back or not, and He

Consistently loves us.
Steadily leads us.
Loyally defends us.
Constantly provides us.
Is always present with us.

No matter what our circumstance, God is always faithful to Himself, and to us.

And God always has our back.

Great is Your Faithfulness, O God my father.

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. Lamentations 3:22-23

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