Horatio Spafford. The author, Horatio G. Spafford (1828-1888), was a lawyer from Chicago. His son died of pneumonia a short time before his fortune evaporated in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. He planned a European trip for his family in 1873. An unexpected business development forced him to remain behind. On November 22, the ship was struck by another ship, and sank in twelve minutes. Several days later the cable he received from his wife was a mere two words, ‘Saved alone.’ Spafford left immediately to join his wife. The hymn It Is Well With My Soul is said to have been penned as he approached the area of the ocean thought to be where the ship carrying his daughters had sunk.
The Weight of Our Trials
Psalms 22:1-2, 8, 11 (NLT) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are You so far away when I groan for help? 2 Every day I call to You, my God, but You do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief… 8“Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!”… 11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.
A Few Days Filled with Trouble. Most days are pretty ordinary. But fear will suck the joy out of the ordinary days of life. Living your life waiting for the “other shoe to drop” is stressful. Learn to enjoy the ordinary days. How could you love your job? How could you really enjoy your marriage? How could you enjoy God in your ordinary life? That is also a form of worship
There will Be Truly Terrible Days. Let the difficult days surprise you. This is not to say you shouldn’t head off trouble when possible, but . . . stop assuming everyday will stink. This was, on a truly awful day, you will fight for peace.
What it SEEMS Like will Be Wrong. In our darkest hours, it will SEEM like God has forgotten you. But, that will not be true. You will be sustained. You will be held. A loving, compassionate Father who only ever means GOOD, VERY GOOD for you, stands waiting in that horrible moment for your arrival.
When peace like a river attendeth my way; When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say; It is well, it is well with my soul
The Debt Of Our Sins
Psalms 22:15-19 (NLT) My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. 19 O LORD, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
The High Cost of Living. Each day we either run hard after Jesus, or we wander after our sins. Going after Jesus often feels like swimming against the current or climbing a very steep hill. Drifting after our sins is easy. It’s effortless at first. One is more difficult in the beginning and easier later. And the other is opposite. Yes, our life, in a corrupt world, is hard by nature, BUT . . .
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed His own blood for my soul
The High Price of Salvation. Everything you deserve, Jesus has already endured. He was severely tempted, but He never bowed to it. He was ridiculed for being different, yet He chose Love and Truth in the tension. He was and is perfect in every way. He was the only person who should NEVER have been punished. Yet, He was tried, convicted, condemned, and crucified for WHO He Was. Because of this we have been freely forgiven. God’s Grace is beyond comprehension!
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!
The Hope For Our Eternity
Psalms 22:22, 24, 27-28, 30-31 (NLT) I will proclaim Your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise You among Your assembled people. 24 For He has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help… 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to Him. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him. 28 For royal power belongs to the LORD. He rules all the nations… 30 Our children will also serve Him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything He has done.
Yes, the World Needs Jesus. To be sure, people have been created with needs, food, shelter, deliverance, help, ministry. Their bodies need healed, fed, touched, and loved. Their minds need reassembled, thoughts renewed, and they need real joy. Their souls need refreshed, reborn, and restored. None of these things will happen until SOMEONE (until WE) desire for them to happen. But, people need even more than that. Jesus walked among us and met those needs with supernatural power. We would honor Jesus more if we asked God for things that only He could provide!
There is so Much More. So much of Paul’s life he counted as garbage. Paul lived his life in such a way that if he was wrong, he had wasted his life. He looked at his earthly life as nothing. He saw it as mere kindling; a large flame might arise from the ashes of his own life.
What are you looking forward to? Imagine the most beautiful scenes of nature, art, architecture, and music. Imagine the most powerful human emotional experiences. birth, romance, friendship, success. KNOW that the greatest most powerful and humbling of your experience has been tainted by fear, self-interest, jealousy, or some other darkness. That which waits for you has never been tainted in any way. Are you ready to go Home? Are you ready to help as many people as possible to get there?
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!
In The Midst Of Our Worst, God Is Present, Comforting, and Delivering Us
Things do not have to be okay for you to live in peace. There is a place for your soul to dwell that is at rest. How would you like to be okay, even if you’re not okay? Surrender your life to Jesus today. Trust in the Father’s care more than your own ability.
