People are devoted to a lot of things. They are devoted to their vocations, activities, people they admire, causes they are behind and more. It is part of our nature to zero in on certain things and be particularly devoted to them. For Christians, it is okay to be devoted to certain pursuits in life. Our primary devotion should be to God and His glory. This should drive everything else in life.

What you are devoted to, reveals what you believe. We can say we believe certain things about God, but our devotion reveals the reality of what we believe.  It is helpful to take a life inventory and evaluate the focus of our devotion. What is really important to you? Where is your energy focused? Where are your resources committed?

Thomas Chisholm wrote “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” as a testimony to God’s faithfulness throughout his life. He was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. Chisholm became a Christian when he was twenty-seven and entered the ministry when he was thirty-six. Poor health forced him to retire after just one year. For the remainder of his life, Chisholm lived in New Jersey and worked as a life insurance agent.  He wrote nearly 1,200 poems throughout his life, including several published hymns.

Chisholm explained toward the end of his life, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Thomas Chisholm – 1925

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. 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! 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. 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!

When one considers how faithful God is to His children, the only right response to Him is whole hearted devotion. Your devotion reveals what you believe about God!

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.