Honest Worship
I was thinking this morning about the old hymn, "It is well with my Soul."
The story of this hymn is amazing. I am sure if you want all the details you can do a search and find out more but as I can recall it was written by lawyer named Horatio Spafford. Spafford wrote this hymn after he had lost his son, lost a lot of his money, and lost his four daughters. His son had died young, he lost money that he had invested in developments in Chicago due to the Chicago fires and his daughters and wife were traveling on a ship to Great Britain that was sunk. Only his wife survived his four daughter did not.
The story is, I believe, that Horatio wrote this hymn while traveling on a ship through the place that he had lost his four daughters to reconnect with his surviving wife. In the midst of his grief and great tragedy he penned these amazings words.
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 blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with 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!
It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with 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.
It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
These words are worship in the midst of the stuff of life.
Honest, real, worship.
Yesterday, I went to the funeral of friend's mother and I spent some time with some friends who had just heard scarry reports from doctors about a grandchild. This is real life and it's in the midst of this God cares for and comforts us. That God is God. In these times we can, as Horatio did and helps us to do, praise God because he is faithful to us and cares for us in the storms of life.
Last year Nicole, the kids, and I went through the biggest storm of our lives. During that time I was sent a card from a friend. It was a music card (they are so cool) and it had the song "Praise You in the Storm." My friend reminded me that God was with me in the storm and that I could and should praise him in the midst of it because God was faithful to keep his promise.
If you are going through a difficult time right now let me encourage you to focus on God and to know that he his faithful to you and he will not abandon you, leave you, or forsake in this time. Praise God for who God is. Praise God in the Storm.
Here is the song, It is Casting Crowns again!
In Christ's love and mine,
Doug
The story of this hymn is amazing. I am sure if you want all the details you can do a search and find out more but as I can recall it was written by lawyer named Horatio Spafford. Spafford wrote this hymn after he had lost his son, lost a lot of his money, and lost his four daughters. His son had died young, he lost money that he had invested in developments in Chicago due to the Chicago fires and his daughters and wife were traveling on a ship to Great Britain that was sunk. Only his wife survived his four daughter did not.
The story is, I believe, that Horatio wrote this hymn while traveling on a ship through the place that he had lost his four daughters to reconnect with his surviving wife. In the midst of his grief and great tragedy he penned these amazings words.
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 blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with 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!
It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with 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.
It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
These words are worship in the midst of the stuff of life.
Honest, real, worship.
Yesterday, I went to the funeral of friend's mother and I spent some time with some friends who had just heard scarry reports from doctors about a grandchild. This is real life and it's in the midst of this God cares for and comforts us. That God is God. In these times we can, as Horatio did and helps us to do, praise God because he is faithful to us and cares for us in the storms of life.
Last year Nicole, the kids, and I went through the biggest storm of our lives. During that time I was sent a card from a friend. It was a music card (they are so cool) and it had the song "Praise You in the Storm." My friend reminded me that God was with me in the storm and that I could and should praise him in the midst of it because God was faithful to keep his promise.
If you are going through a difficult time right now let me encourage you to focus on God and to know that he his faithful to you and he will not abandon you, leave you, or forsake in this time. Praise God for who God is. Praise God in the Storm.
Here is the song, It is Casting Crowns again!
In Christ's love and mine,
Doug
Comments