Faithfulness & Hope

I hope you found yourself praising God yesterday with boldness – lifting your hands and feeling Him lifting your spirits and your joy.

If you listened while you were singing you may have heard another voice joining in.

“The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.” Zephaniah 3:17 CEV

Before I read those words this morning my heart was already singing. “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine with ten thousand beside”. Those are words from a wonderful old hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness, but more of that in a minute.

King David a psalm that is often quoted because it talks about the miracle of intra womb development. “You formed me in my mother’s womb”. That’s where I normally go when I read this Psalm but this morning I stopped after having read only the first few verses.

“You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me. ² You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts.³ You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. ⁴ Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say,
⁵ and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side. ⁶ I can’t understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me.” Psalm 139:1-6 CEV

Our heavenly Father knows all about us! Everything we say, everywhere we go, and He loves us! His thoughts toward us are innumerable.

“I will never give up hope or stop praising you. ¹⁵ All day long I will tell the wonderful things you do to save your people. But you have done much more than I could possibly know.” Psalm 71:14-15 CEV

God’s faithfulness toward us hard to imagine. He never leaves us alone or abandons us!

“ I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” Romans 15:13 CEV

Now back to the song. Great is Thy Faithfulness by Thomas Chisolm

“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.

Refrain:
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!…

3 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 ten thousand beside! [Refrain]”

Every morning the Lord blesses us with new mercy – we have been pardoned from our sins, His peace fills our hearts and gives us strength. Yes, His faithfulness gives us hope!