BBC Reflections 3-10-21 “It Is Well, With My Soul” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:3-7 “Saved alone…” was the message that Horatio Spafford received from his wife after the ship that she was on, had sunk. In 1873, Horatio had put his wife, Anna, and their four daughters on a ship to sail to England before him, and so far into this trip, the ship collides with another ship and it sunk. All four daughters died and his wife barely escaped with her life. When he received her message, he set sail to meet his grieving wife, and as he came upon the place where the ship had sunk and his daughters lost their lives, he wrote these 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.” Even in the midst of tragedy, Horatio Spafford understood that God loved him tremendously, and this allowed and abled him to say that “It is well, with my soul”. He then goes on to write, “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.” He understood that he was loved because he knew what Christ had done for him on the cross and that Christ will come when the trump sounds and his daughters will rise. Many people don’t know the history or the roots of this ‘classic’ hymn. It was a song of praise that is saturated with pain and helplessness, along with hopefulness and faithfulness. Over the years, this story has encouraged a lot of faithful men and women to hold on to the promises of God and stay faithful, even in the midst of trials. I encourage you to, when you find yourself in the midst of trials, look to the cross, keep hope in the triumphant Christ as Peter encourages, and may your soul sing, along with Mr. Spafford’s, “It is well, with my soul”. Let's take some time and reflect on who God is and what He does… For His Name and Renown, Pastor Jonathan