Faithful God

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 wilt be.

On several occasions when I’ve been asked which is my favourite season of the year, I’ve struggled to give a definitive answer. After all, they’re all different! Spring gives a sense of new growth, new life. Summer brings warmth and long hours of daylight. Autumn has a wonderful mix of colours. And winter has frosts and mists, and a stark beauty. Narrowing it down a bit, I usually answer spring … or sometimes autumn. I have to admit that the wonderful autumn colours this year, like those in this photo along the riverside between Twickenham and Richmond, have swayed me again!
 
The words at the top of this blog form the opening words of a hymn that celebrates its centenary this year. Written by an American, Thomas Chisholm, it goes on to say
 
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.
 
That last line echoes the words of Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations (3:22,23):
 
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
 
An intelligent and ambitious man, Thomas became a Christian at the age of 27 and subsequently a Methodist minister. However, he had to give this up because of poor health, and then faced financial struggles because of his hospital bills. Despite these challenges, he consciously chose to see God’s faithfulness. Alongside taking on an office job, he continued to express his love for God through poetry and wrote nearly 1,200 poems. Many became published hymns that have helped to spread the message of God’s faithfulness.
 
Each of us faces challenges in life, some of them huge. Like Thomas, they may relate to our health or financial circumstances. Or they may be to do with broken relationships, uncertainty about future employment, concerns for the welfare of others or what the future holds, or a sense of hopelessness. They are real, and we shouldn’t try to deny them or bury them. But at the same time we will do well to follow Thomas’ example, and consciously choose to see God’s faithfulness. Our circumstances, however difficult they are, don’t change the character of God.
 
Our Christmas celebrations remind us that God stepped into the complexity and messiness of our lives to be Emmanuel, God with us. He is alongside us in all our struggles; He understands, He cares and He loves - consistently and constantly. He is with us and for us, for ever faithful.
 
Prayer - Lord, help me to raise my sights above my challenges so that I catch sight of you and your faithfulness, and live with the confidence and assurance this brings. Amen.