“O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness” (Isaiah 25:1). “It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today; A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness” (Isaiah 38:19).

Although I am not a trained mechanic, in my younger days I did work on my own vehicles. The two biggest mechanical accomplishments as a young married man was swapping out an engine and later a transmission in a small Datsun pickup, the first vehicle we bought (very used) as a married couple. I recall my method was just putting it back together the way I took it apart. In both instances the truck worked OK afterwards and we used it till a few months after our move to Pennsylvania in 1977.

For most men, my age at least, the word "manifold" is a word associated with a motor. I don't recall using it in any other context in normal conversation. There are two manifolds in a car: an intake manifold that distributes the fuel-air mixture to the cylinders and an exhaust manifold that delivers exhaust out the rear of the car.

But we do use the word "manifold" in the second verse of a hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness", many of us have been blessed by, yet I wonder how many of us have stopped to consider what it means?

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.

In this case manifold means "many and various, having many different forms, features, or elements". The "sun, moon, and stars", are joining the whole of nature as a witness (like in a courtroom) of God's great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Because it is the "whole of nature", this witness is bound to be composed of "many different elements".

As we thoughtfully observe the sun, moon and stars in their courses above, I consider those over the centuries who have observed and benefited from this same astronomical witness since the beginning of creation.

We especially enjoy watching the sunset from our rural home. In God’s order of the universe all generations have seen the same as we now observe.  Perhaps several hundred years ago, during a summer evening, some native Americans saw the same sun that we view continuing its same course from this very location. Perhaps in the last several hundred years, since Europeans settled the area in which we presently live, a farmer was working the fields and watched or worked through the sunset. (Our property was farmland until our home was built in the mid 1980’s).

God’s faithfulness is an attribute (characteristic of God) that has brought assurance to His children through the ages. The first reference to God’s faithfulness in Scripture was a statement made by Jacob to God just prior to meeting with his estranged brother Esau: “I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant” (Genesis 32:10). Jacob was a rascal but over time he matured after several notable experiences with God such as their wrestling match. Aren’t you thankful for God’s forgiving grace in regard to our past and the way He can use our past to mature us in our present attitudes and actions!

In the last part of Moses’ final words to the Israelites prior to his death he extols the Lord, “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). That’s a pretty amazing statement from Moses, since God did not allow him to enter the Promised Land in which he led His people for forty years.

All through the Scriptures we find references to God’s faithfulness, perhaps the most referenced being the grand declaration in Lamentations 3:23, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”.

But as I search the Scriptures two references from Isaiah stand out:

“O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness” (Isaiah 25:1). God acts in “perfect faithfulness”. Although many times we may not understand His ways, especially if they involve a season of trouble, this steadfast truth remains: His faithfulness is perfect.

“It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today; a father tells his sons about Your faithfulness” (Isaiah 38:19). A pattern is given here for the transmission of truth from one generation to another as “the father makes known to the children Your faithfulness”.  Let us join the Psalmist, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 89:1).

Today we encourage you to observe and join with all nature in manifold witness to God's great faithfulness, mercy and love.