Thomas Obediah Chisholm was born in a log cabin in
Franklin, Kentucky in 1866. He received his education in a little
country schoolhouse, and at age 16 began teaching there. He became a
follower of Jesus at age 27. With no college nor seminary training, he
became a minister at the age of 36. He served as a minister only for one
year. Poor health made it impossible for him to continue. He moved to
Vineland, New Jersey, where he opened an insurance office.
Always
interested in poetry, Chisholm wrote hundreds of poems during his
lifetime. Some of those poems have been set to music and included in
many church hymnals. One of his poems was “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”
Chisholm wrote this poem after reading and reflecting on Lamentations
3:22-23:
“Through
the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘Therefore I hope in Him!’”
Based on the
text in Lamentations, Chisholm wrote these words in the 3rd verse
followed by the refrain:
“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!”
“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.”
Although
Chisholm suffered ill health most of his adult life and never made much
money, he acknowledged the goodness and faithfulness of God in his
life. He said, “God has given me many wonderful displays of His
providing care which have filled me with astonishing gratefulness.” *
From Chisholm’s beautiful words we see
that God will provide pardon for sin and a peace that endures, His own
presence to cheer and to guide, strength for today and bright hope for
tomorrow, and ten thousand other blessings to those who place their
faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are
baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts
2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin and prepare for an eternal
home those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).
No matter how
difficult life may become, may we always see the goodness and
faithfulness of God, especially in the incomparable gift of His Son, who
died on the cross for our sins so that we can enjoy all the wonderful
spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).
-- David A.
Sargent
*
Information gleaned from “Great is Thy Faithfulness” in
www.ministry127.com.
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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