“It Is Well”

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 39, December 28, 2008

PSALM 46:1-11 ... God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah….. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah… Be still, and know that I am God:
We all have days when we’d like to run away from it all. Sometimes our hurt is so bad our spirit throbs inside us.Our dreams fall apart...our hopes fade.
Our lives become wearisome drudgery.
A marriage goes bad…
Health problems develop…
Financial problems come up…
A loved one dies...And we are tempted to give up.... There is hope because - God is our Refuge (a shelter or hiding place) and Strength (our security, boldness, might) a very Present (He is always with us) Help (aid) in Trouble (tight spots, misery, distress, agony, suffering).
The word “IN” here means, not before or after, but during, in the midst of. In other words IN all these problems God is our refuge, strength, and a present help.
Do you remember the Big fire in Chicago?

It was apparently started by Mrs. O'Leary's cow knocking over a lantern. Sixteen hours later, 3 and 1/2 square miles of Chicago were burned to the ground. A family with the name of Spafford were completely wiped out by this disaster. But because of a consistent history of acting on their faith, they devoted countless hours to helping the survivors.
In November of 1873, Horatio Spafford planned a trip to Europe to hear DL Moody preaching his revivals. When the time for the trip drew close, Spafford’s business encountered some difficulties that required him to remain at home. Not wanting to deprive his family of the anticipated trip, he sent his wife and daughters on ahead promising to join them soon.

The Spafford women, Anna and her four young daughters, 11 year old Annie, 9 year old Maggie, 7 year old Bessie, and 2 year old Tanetta, boarded a French steamer and began their trans-Atlantic journey.

Off the coast of Newfoundland, however, tragedy struck. The ship collided with an English ship ripping a gaping hole in the ship’s hull. The French Steamer plunged to the bottom of the frigid sea within 12 minutes. In the moments before the ship sank, Anna Spafford gathered her 4 young girls to her side and prayed with them, holding the youngest in her arms. As the icy waters of the North Atlantic swept over the decks, the 3 older children disappeared.

Eventually even the baby was washed from her mother’s arms.

Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage.

Alone and near death herself, Anna was spotted from a lifeboat and plucked from the sea. Only 47 out of 273 survived. It was 10 days before the survivors landed safely in Cardiff, Wales. From there Anna sent a telegram to her anxious husband It was a brief and distressing message: "Saved alone." Boarding the next available ship out of New York, Horatio sailed to be reunited with his grieving wife.

In the mid-Atlantic ocean, the ship’s captain called Spafford to the bridge and said, "To the best of my calculations, this is where the tragedy occurred and your four little daughters were drowned." Horatio stood on the bridge contemplating the loss of his girls. After a considerable time he went to his cabin and wrote the poem that begins;
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 was reported by DL Moody (their friend) that though they were experiencing deep sorrow, the Spaffords never lost their abiding faith in God. This grieving father longed for the day…. when he would see his 4 beautiful daughters again. "And Lord haste the day when the faith will 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."
The hope of being reunited with their children gave these parents the courage to keep on living in faith.

Their hearts were comforted and strengthened by the truth of the resurrection.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling….. God will help us.

Psalm 30:5 weeping may endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning
Returning to Chicago, Spafford rejoined his legal practice. Once again, he became active in the local Presbyterian church as an elder and working with the YMCA. A visitor to his office two years after the shipwreck asked about the telegram in a frame above Spafford’s desk carrying only the words, "Saved alone." Spafford told the man the full story and again affirmed, "It is well. God’s will be done." The Spaffords had 2 more daughters and 1 son born after the tragedy. But sorrow and tragedy would strike them again. In 1880, their 4-year-old son, Horatio, came down with scarlet fever. In spite of the efforts by the best physicians in Chicago, Spafford’s son died. Some members of the Presbyterian congregation to which the Spaffords belonged believed that some sin in their lives had caused all these tragedies. They kept telling the Spaffords to repent! But Spafford said, It Is Well With My Soul.Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. This means trusting God with all our problems, resting in Him as our refuge. John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The opposition grew until finally the Spaffords were asked to leave their church. And with unwavering faith and trust in God, they departed. Long interested in biblical archaeology, Spafford decided to leave the United States. In 1881, at the age of 53, he and his wife and 2 daughters moved to Jerusalem. There they founded an American colony where they spent the rest of their lives. The words "it is well with my soul" are not found in scripture, But Jesus did say, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and you’ll find rest for your souls Matthew 11:28-29
Our compassionate heavenly Father gives us comfort, hope and peace in his Son Jesus Christ. One day God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. And now you know the rest of the story. Be blessed.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah…
Be still, and know that I am God: