Monday 18 December 2017

"IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!" (A Reflection on the Inspired Hymn)

I'm sure you know the popular Christian song, "It is well with my soul." It has such a calming effect on the soul. Life can really be like a roller coaster, with tumultuous experiences. And after grappling with problems during the day, worry causes sleep to flee at night.

Take a deep breath and tell yourself, "It is well with my soul. God is still on the throne and He alone determines the final outcome of whatever I'm seeing now, as unpleasant as it may be."

The song itself was written in 1873 by Horatio G. Spafford, an American Christian, in the midst of great personal tragedy. Spafford had lost his huge investments in real estate to fire in 1871, then his four daughters died at sea while on a voyage with their mother to England. 

Let's see the original lyrics of this immortal song. I offer some thoughts on each stanza in brackets under it.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll; 
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

(May God help us to know, not just to say, that it is well with us come what may.)

Refrain: It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (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. 

(God has done the highest thing needed to answer the devil and every challenge we will ever face. Christ "hath shed His own blood for" our souls.)

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! 

(What would have separated us from God, what would have spelt eternal doom, is sin. But God has taken that away. We are the chosen ones, the elect of God. Halleluyah! Every other problem we have pales in comparison to that.

Romans 8:33-34 (KJV)
"33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.")

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.

(Do you know that God in us helps us to be resilient? You remember Paul and Silas singing hymns in prison [Acts 16] and Peter sleeping in bonds the night before the day Herod planned to execute him [Acts 12]? Our disposition should not be determined by our situation. Listen to what God is saying to you in your heart.)

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. 

(We should never forget that this world is not our home. We are citizens of heaven and over there, there will be no pain or sorrow. Everything will be perfect. The knowledge that our troubles here are temporary should keep us strong and hopeful.)


"3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." - Revelation 21:3-4

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, 
A song in the night, oh my soul!

("For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" - 2 Corinthians 4:17 

"16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." - Romans 8:16-18 

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that glory to appear! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!)

I want to conclude by reminding us that in everything, "we are more than conquerors" through Christ who laid down his life for us and is with us always (Romans 8: 37, Matthew 28:20).

INDEED, IT IS WELL WITH OUR SOULS!

Source of original lyrics:
  web.archive.org

Here is a link to a rendition of "It is well with my soul" by Audrey Assad.


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The scriptures used in this post are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible except where otherwise stated.
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