My soul magnifies You, O Lord!

Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father. There is no shadow of turning with thee.

You change not! You are always here with me. You never leave me or forsake me. You hear my heartbeat and my prayer; You know my woeful complaint, my soul’s anguish, my bitter regret, and my good and sinful desires.

You are with me always wherever I go in body or mind. Whenever I kneel to pray or walk stubbornly away, silent and rebellious, You somehow are by my side. If I am sorrowfully penitent or selfishly proud, grievously sick or full of vitality, there You are!

I am your child!

Oh, the privilege of this! The awesome awareness of this! How unworthy I am to walk, stand, sit, or lie down in your presence!

I stray as a willful child (or a mindless pet on a leach sniffing out possibilities for delight). Why do I DO that? When I could be abiding in Your presence always – each second of my life? O God, my Father, make me more like You, more like Jesus.

More heart’s love and obedience. More fear and humility and confession. More following exactly in your steps, never wavering. More heart’s desire to serve You in “your courts,” in far fields, in prisons (even of my own making), in sickness, sorrow, and death. O to be always content in the circle of Your will!

More like You!  More pleasure to You. More glory for You.

Your compassions, they fail not. May I be half as unwavering in my devotion and love to You.

As you have been — O Alpha and Omega, First and Last, the One who was, is, and will be, the same yesterday, today and forever — You forever will be!

O great (and wondrous and awesome) is Your faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I SEE!  All I have needed Your hand has provided — for my  life and godliness: (1. pardon for sin, 2. peace that endures, 3. Your presence, 4. comfort and encouragement, 5. guidance, 6. strength, 7. bright hope for tomorrow). Blessings all mine with TEN THOUSAND beside.

Manifold witness to Your great faithfulness, Your grace,  mercy,  compassion, forgiveness, and love, are everywhere I look — above, below, around, and inside.

O God, my Savior and Redeemer….may I have such faithfulness to You!

“You are with me continually. You hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel. And afterward — after this life –You will receive me to glory.” ~~~ from Psalm 73

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With appreciation to the Word of God – Lamentations 3:23 – and thanks and acknowledgments to lyrics writer Thomas Chisholm and composer William M. Runyan for the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” 1925