"All I have needed thy hand hath provided."

(Republished from July 9, 2013)


Hymn: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” – Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960)
Tune: FAITHFULNESS

I scarcely get past these words in the refrain of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” before my singing is impeded by the lump in my throat; this is often accompanied by tear-filled eyes. It is one of my very, very favorite hymn-lines. And yes, I could care less about whether or not I seem like a manly-man when I react to it with great emotion!

As those words form in my mouth I am immediately reminded that it is God’s provision that has brought me to where I am today – spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally, etc. There is no part of who I am that has not been shaped by the provisional hand of my Creator.

When I sit around between Sundays, I often wish for things I’d like to have… or might well have been able to have if I had taken a different direction with my career choice. This hymn-line does not say that everything I ever “wanted” has been provided; if that were the case, I’d have to attend a name-it-and-claim-it church. However, I can sing with confidence that my needs have been provided for throughout my life and my ministry – not by my cleverness or cunning, not by my creativity or talent – but by the strong, powerful, gentle hand of the One I call Lord – my Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord who provides.

Meanwhile, back at the attributes of God (to which I seem to return too often in these writings), my most-cherished attribute of God is his faithfulness. When I do weddings, I always talk about how important this is in a marriage – how important it is in mine! I remind them that they can make it through a lot of pot-holes on the matrimonial highway if they remain faithful and are confident their partner will always do the same.

Faithfulness is a more intimate attribute than dependability. One can be dependable - be there for you, always show up, etc. - just because its their nature to be so. But faithfulness goes a little deeper than that, motivated by an intentional attachment, closely connected by an innermost personal relationship.

I am delightedly overwhelmed that we share a provisional, intimately faithful God, so join me as we sing out loud once again:

     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.

(gulp) There I go again. Could someone pass me a Kleenex please?