Series: Blessed Be
Psalm 112:5 ESV
Philippians 4:7
There are times in this life when it seems like we are not blessed.
It can feel like God has forgotten us.
We can despair in our circumstances.
We often think life should be easy and the measure of a man is determined by outward appearances.
In other words, we often tend to believe we can judge a book by its cover.
Psalm 112:5 tells us, “It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.”
We might think the man who deals generously in life, who lends, and conducts his affairs justly is a man who has been blessed beyond measure.
We might think that man has not suffered hardship.
We could believe he has led an easy life.
That is, until we learn about his story.
An example of a man who might appear to live a blessed life without hardship is Horatio Spafford.
The story behind the song “It is Well With My Soul” by Horatio G. Spafford tell us the songwriter was a very successful attorney in Chicago. He was married and had five children.
Then a young son died from pneumonia in 1871.
Horatio lost most of his business in the Great Chicago fire that same year.
In 1873 while crossing the Atlantic on the Ville du Havre ocean liner, with Horatio’s wife and four daughters onboard the ship collided with another ship and it went down killing 226 passengers/crew members. Only 87 passengers and crew survived. Their four daughters died. Mrs. Spafford was spotted in the wreckage by someone in a small boat and she was rescued.
Later Horatio visited the site and it is said that afterward he wrote the song, “It is well With My Soul”. Despite their great losses the couple continued to believe God IS the God.
The song lyrics tell us,
“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 couple went on to have three more children, one of which died in childhood of pneumonia.
The couple lost two young children to a childhood illness and four daughters in the shipwreck. They lost six children in their lifetime. Only two children remained.
Despite their great losses, they turned to God, believing whatever happened God was just, God was THE God, God was loving, and one day the clouds would be rolled back, the trumpet will sound, and the Lord will appear.
In the third verse of the same song he wrote:
“And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul.”
Their faith stood firm.
As I studied Psalm 112:5 the phrase that begins with “it is well” seemed like it needed some definition.
What exactly does it mean for a man to “be well”?
The words to the song written by Spafford indicate despite his extreme loss and hardship, he was at peace with God. He was not at peace because he lost most of his business in a fire. He was not at peace with God because he lost six children. He was at peace with God because he turned to God and received the peace OF God. Despite his horrible losses, he chose to turn to God.
Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Studying the psalm and the song was eye-opening to me.
I am old enough that I grew up singing the song in church.
I loved it then but until today I never understood it.
I thought the songwriter was recognizing a good life without hardships. I thought it was written by someone who had been filled with blessings.
Little did I know the blessing and peace he wrote about was because of God alone.
Spiritual Practice: Sing or Read
Take a minute to look up the words (link below) and read it or sing it. Remember the hardships the song writer suffered in his life.
In God, Deborah