Is it well with your soul?

Good Monday morning, my friends.

The first verse Psalm 146 says "Praise the Lord, O my soul."  Can we truly say, as the old hymn goes "it is well with my soul"?

This hymn was written in 1873 by Horatio G. Spafford after two major traumas in Spafford's life. The first was the great Chicago Fire of October 1871, which ruined him financially (he had been a wealthy businessman). Shortly after, while crossing the Atlantic, all four of Spafford's daughters died in a collision with another ship. Spafford's wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Several weeks later, as Spafford's own ship passed near the spot where his daughters died, the Holy Spirit inspired these words. They speak to the eternal hope that all believers have, no matter what pain and grief befall them on earth. (Source - http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm)

It takes incredible faith to say, after all that tragedy, "it is well with my soul".  If you or I examine ourselves and find that all is not well with our souls, then what?  I would say that the response of the father in Mark 9:24 is appropriate:  "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" 

When we feel unrest in our souls, it is a nudge from the Holy Spirit.  He is telling us that we need to trust God, bring the burdens to Him, and lay them down.  And leave them down.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

It Is Well With My Soul

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.

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!

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.

Bruce MacPherson  macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address.  Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.