In what is perhaps the most fast-paced and troubled age of
all the ages, men seem to struggle for inner peace. And again and again, it
eludes them.
We too easily
pass over Christ’ admonition and promise…
“Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let
it be afraid.” (John 14:27, KJV) Some might even be bold (or ignorant) enough
to say, “Oh, that kind of philosophy isn’t relevant to our time.”
That opinion
has been proven incorrect, time and time again.
Horatio
Spafford was a successful nineteenth-century Chicago lawyer, and friend of D.L
Moody.
In November of
1873, he put his wife and four daughters on the S.S. Ville du Harve, planning
to join them for a much needed vacation in Europe later in that month. As the
ship reached its halfway point, it was struck by another vessel, and sank
within a few minutes. All four of the Spafford children drowned. Their mother
survived.
Horatio mourned
as another ship ferried him to his grieving wife in Cardiff, Wales. As the ship
sailed past the area where his precious daughters died, he found himself
writing the haunting strains of the following hymn.
“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.”
I think that
only a discipline tested in the crucibles of human trauma is capable of
providing us such poignant words. I think it is a “though I do not welcome personal
tragedy, I am determined to be made better by it” mentality.
It is that
kind of discipline that I refer to as “The Simon of Cyrene” principle. That is,
“the take up your cross and follow me”
concept. For sometimes Our Lord calls us to experience
suffering. Sometimes He gives us the opportunity
to participate in, and identify with
the suffering that He, Himself endured.
“It is well with
my soul” is a personally-precious hymn to me. For I had the rich opportunity to
sing it at both my Mother-in-Law’s and Father-in-Law’s funerals.
I think Our
Lord is constantly and consistently equipping us for whatever lies beyond the
next turn in the road. While we may find ourselves dreading the unknown future,
it never takes Our Lord unawares.
“Tho Satan
should buffet, tho trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that
Christ hath regarded my helpless estate…”
Yes, my friend.
We can be sure that the seeming unendurable… is not!
by William McDonald, PhD. Unconventional Devotions. Copyright 2005
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