Did You Know?
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:7
You hear the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” being sung by many church congregations everywhere. I will never forget when a friend mentioned that many people missed the blessing of knowing the history behind the words, and she was right. What a difference it makes.
The words were written by Horatio Spafford in 1872 after his 4 young daughters drowned in a tragic accident. Isn’t that amazing? Prior to that, every single real estate investment he had owned was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire. About a year prior to that, his only son was killed by Scarlet fever. I guess you could say that Spafford had every reason to be bitter, yet by the grace of God he was able to find that peace that surpasses all understanding…and wrote these words that we sing today:
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.
It is well, with my soul,
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!
Blessèd hope, blessèd 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.
Spafford was confident in his faith – in his Lord. Are you?
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