"It is Well With my Soul"

This weekend, 1-29-11, was incredibly moving as 125 people gathered to resync to Jesus. The worship was spirit-led and authentic. I am left on the verge of tears each week as I watch the crowd revive their lives in Christ through worship and release their requests to the Lord. This week, we wrote our requests down, placed them in a basket near the stage. We released our requests to God and sang “How He Loves;” He does love us. His love for us is immeasurable. Intercession is a gift. There are times when each of us as believers faces such hard times that we need other believers to intercede on our behalf. That is what so many did Saturday night. They wrote requests on behalf of others and released them to our Lord. This Monday, 1-31-11, John, Shayne, and our worship team lifted those requests to the Lord again, aloud on behalf of those who are hurting. I again was in tears at the thought of so many hurting people. We in our frailty and humanity feel hopeless, but God in His greatness knows exactly what joy and good will come out these trying situations when we trust Him as Romans 8:28 reminds us. These “black clouds” come over our lives and we become desperate. We hurt. Instead we should have hope in the Lord.

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Pastor Pete told the story of the beautiful old hymn, “It is well with my Soul,” written by Horatio G. Spafford. This hymn takes on new meaning when the story that inspired it comes to life. It is shocking and breath-taking to imagine writing these words after having lost your only son at four years of age to a deadly fever and having lost your four daughters shortly thereafter to a shipwreck. Horatio G. Spafford went from being a successful, prominent lawyer to a grieving father who had lost almost everything in just three short years.  He penned the words of this song just after he passed over the very spot in the Atlantic Ocean that had claimed the lives of his four daughters. This story inspires me to confidently say that regardless of my circumstances, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.      

“It is well with my Soul”

Horatio G. Spafford

(1828-1888)

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.