For the past two Sundays, our choir has sung songs about God’s faithfulness. One Sunday we sang the great hymn of the church called “Great is Thy Faithfulness” with a new refrain:
Beginning to end, my life in Your hands
Great, great is Your faithfulness
You never let go, this one thing I know
Great, great is Your faithfulness
The next Sunday we sang a song just called “Faithfulness,” and the second verse caught my eye:
There are memories that seize my heart
But they will never steal or tear our love apart
There are victories yet to come
They are certain as the rising of the sun
On the way home from choir practice, I thought about what a coincidence it was that we sang about God’s faithfulness two weeks in a row. But as you know, there are no coincidences in God’s economy. As I begin to ponder His faithfulness more, I began to question His faithfulness to me. Yes, faithfulness is part of His character. However, I look back on the past few years and wonder where that faithfulness has been. All I could see was hard stuff. Pain. Adversity. In my heart, I know that’s not the reality. I know there has been good. I know there have been blessings. Yet the bad seemed far more than the good. I sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” with hands lifted high, but I have a hard time believing it.
The next morning I sat down determined to trace God’s faithfulness through the Scriptures. I searched “faithfulness” on the Bible app and read many verses about it. I found that His faithfulness is often connected with His love and His kindness. My questioning heart began to waiver again. Finally, my eyes fell to one verse - a verse I had never noticed before. One verse that settled all the questions in me.
“Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you. I will praise your name, for you have accomplished wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” Isaiah 25:1 CSB (emphasis mine)
There is so much I could unpack from this verse, but I just want to focus us on those last two words: perfect faithfulness. “Perfect” is not a word that could used to describe many things. It certainly cannot describe people - especially me. It absolutely describes our God. There is nothing He has done that has not been perfect. At the time, it may not seem perfect. At the time, it may seem like a disaster. But His plans for us are for our well-being, not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 CSB) They are well-thought out plans, solid and sure, as The Message says. It may seem to not make sense at that moment. One day, it all will. And you will look back and see God’s hand of faithfulness being traced throughout.
On that car ride home from choir practice, I also wrestled with the thought of why I see everything through the lens of pain and not God’s faithfulness. My new mission is to see His faithfulness first. Because He has indeed done wonders for me. And there are victories yet to come. It is certain. His Word never fails. His plans - formed long ago - are for my good. His faithfulness goes on forever.
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!”
Lamentations 3:22-23 CSB
Songs Mentioned:
“Great is Thy Faithfulness (Beginning to End),” Thomas O. Chisholm, William M. Runyan, Jason Ingram, Mike Weaver
“Faithfulness,” by Matt Maher
Beginning to end, my life in Your hands
Great, great is Your faithfulness
You never let go, this one thing I know
Great, great is Your faithfulness
The next Sunday we sang a song just called “Faithfulness,” and the second verse caught my eye:
There are memories that seize my heart
But they will never steal or tear our love apart
There are victories yet to come
They are certain as the rising of the sun
On the way home from choir practice, I thought about what a coincidence it was that we sang about God’s faithfulness two weeks in a row. But as you know, there are no coincidences in God’s economy. As I begin to ponder His faithfulness more, I began to question His faithfulness to me. Yes, faithfulness is part of His character. However, I look back on the past few years and wonder where that faithfulness has been. All I could see was hard stuff. Pain. Adversity. In my heart, I know that’s not the reality. I know there has been good. I know there have been blessings. Yet the bad seemed far more than the good. I sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” with hands lifted high, but I have a hard time believing it.
The next morning I sat down determined to trace God’s faithfulness through the Scriptures. I searched “faithfulness” on the Bible app and read many verses about it. I found that His faithfulness is often connected with His love and His kindness. My questioning heart began to waiver again. Finally, my eyes fell to one verse - a verse I had never noticed before. One verse that settled all the questions in me.
“Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you. I will praise your name, for you have accomplished wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” Isaiah 25:1 CSB (emphasis mine)
There is so much I could unpack from this verse, but I just want to focus us on those last two words: perfect faithfulness. “Perfect” is not a word that could used to describe many things. It certainly cannot describe people - especially me. It absolutely describes our God. There is nothing He has done that has not been perfect. At the time, it may not seem perfect. At the time, it may seem like a disaster. But His plans for us are for our well-being, not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 CSB) They are well-thought out plans, solid and sure, as The Message says. It may seem to not make sense at that moment. One day, it all will. And you will look back and see God’s hand of faithfulness being traced throughout.
On that car ride home from choir practice, I also wrestled with the thought of why I see everything through the lens of pain and not God’s faithfulness. My new mission is to see His faithfulness first. Because He has indeed done wonders for me. And there are victories yet to come. It is certain. His Word never fails. His plans - formed long ago - are for my good. His faithfulness goes on forever.
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!”
Lamentations 3:22-23 CSB
“Great is Thy Faithfulness (Beginning to End),” Thomas O. Chisholm, William M. Runyan, Jason Ingram, Mike Weaver
“Faithfulness,” by Matt Maher
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