{"id":24690,"date":"2020-10-07T11:11:48","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T15:11:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=24690"},"modified":"2024-04-01T09:02:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T13:02:30","slug":"worship-wednesday-no-shadow-of-turning-great-is-thy-faithfulness-austin-stone-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=24690","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – No Shadow of Turning – Great Is Thy Faithfulness – Austin Stone Worship"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Heartlight<\/a><\/p>\n

Because of the Lord\u2019s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!<\/strong> I say, \u201cThe Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.\u201d The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him. It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.<\/strong><\/em> – Lamentations 2:22-26<\/a><\/p>\n

Thomas O. Chisholm<\/a> wrote the beautiful hymn-poem Great Is Thy Faithfulness<\/em> <\/a>in 1923. This hymn became a worship mainstay in Protestant churches. The lyrics remind us of the steadfastness of God, something we cling to in a world dizzy with change.<\/p>\n

In dealing with all the disruptions and differing opinions, our own thoughts and beliefs may feel under attack. What is true? Who is right? Whom do we believe?<\/p>\n

The singular truth in our lives that guides us in navigating through varied cultural changes and political ploys…the singular truth is God doesn’t change. In His truth, in His love, in His judgments.<\/p>\n

“There is no shadow of turning with Thee”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

No shadow of turning.<\/em> Praise God for that anchor. That foundation. That light in the darkness.<\/p>\n

Great Is Thy Faithfulness!<\/p>\n

Verses 2 and 3 of the Austin Stone<\/a> version of this glorious hymn were written in 2018 by pastor\/writer John Piper<\/a>. He wrote it to further flesh out the God of faithfulness Chisholm lauded in the original hymn – to accentuate Piper’s sermon on Deuteronomy 29-30 (linked below).<\/p>\n

“A Matter of Life and Death”<\/em> – John Piper sermon on Deuteronomy 29-30<\/a><\/p>\n

Let’s remember Moses’ words to the people of God from that passage in Deuteronomy:<\/p>\n

\u00a0Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, \u201cYou have seen with your own eyes everything the Lord<\/span> did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his entire land. <\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>You saw with your own eyes the great trials and those great signs and wonders. <\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>Yet to this day the Lord<\/span> has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.<\/span>..Be sure there is no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord<\/span> our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Be sure there is no root among you bearing poisonous and bitter fruit.<\/strong> <\/span> <\/em>19\u00a0<\/sup>When someone hears the words of this oath, he may consider himself exempt<\/strong>, thinking, \u2018I will have peace even though I follow my own stubborn heart.\u2019..Future generations of your children who follow you and the foreigner who comes from a distant country will see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses the Lord<\/span> has inflicted on it.<\/span>..<\/em>24\u00a0<\/sup>All the nations will ask, \u2018Why has the Lord done this to this land? Why this intense outburst of anger?\u2019 <\/strong><\/span> 25\u00a0<\/sup>Then people will answer, \u2018It is because they abandoned the covenant of the Lord…’<\/strong><\/em> – Deuteronomy 29:2-4, 18-19a, 22, 24-25<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen all these things happen to you<\/strong>\u2014the blessings and curses I have set before you\u2014and you come to your senses<\/strong> while you are in all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>and you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and all your soul by doing everything I am commanding you today, <\/strong><\/span> <\/em>3\u00a0<\/sup>then he will restore<\/strong> your fortunes, have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you… <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.<\/span>.. <\/span> <\/em>10\u00a0<\/sup>when you obey the Lord your God by keeping his commands and statutes that are written in this book of the law and return to him with all your heart and all your soul.<\/em> – Deuteronomy 30:1-3, 6, 10<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me the great God of faithfulness who will take us through this season as He has taken His people through every season before this. [Lyrics in the link.]<\/p>\n

[Verse 1]
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
\nThere is no shadow of turning with Thee
\nThou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
\nAs Thou hast been, Thou forever will be<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
\nMorning by morning new mercies I see
\nAll I have needed Thy hand hath provided
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me<\/p>\n

[Verse 2]
\nI could not love Thee, so blind and unfeeling
\nCovenant promises fell not to me
\nThen without warning, desire, or deserving
\nI found my Treasure, my pleasure, in Thee<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
\nMorning by morning new mercies I see
\nAnd all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me<\/p>\n

[Verse 3]
\nI have no merit to woo or delight Thee
\nI have no wisdom or pow’rs to employ
\nAnd yet in Thy mercy, how pleasing Thou find’st me
\nThis is Thy pleasure: that Thou art my joy<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
\nMorning by morning new mercies I see
\nAnd all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me<\/p>\n

[Spontaneous]
\nOh, how great You are
\nOh, how great You are
\nSing about this
\nAs we sing this
\nHe’s pardoned us
\nHe’s given us an everlasting peace
\nWe are thankful for that
\nLet’s thank Him together<\/p>\n

[Verse 4]
\nPardon for sin and a peace that endureth
\nThine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
\nStrength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
\nBlessings all mine, with ten thousand beside<\/p>\n

[Chorus]
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
\nMorning by morning new mercies I see
\nAnd all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
\nGreat is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me*<\/p>\n