Peace Like a River

I think I will nominate Horatio Spafford as one of my heroes. Many of us know his story, but I just recently gained a new appreciation for the man and his testimony. (Note: Some biographers have alleged some faulty theology and even heretical actions. We will not examine that here. My position is that the "snapshot" of his life conveyed in the hymn is "right on" and that is our purpose of consideration today.)

For those of you who do not know, his daughters were lost in a shipwreck as they traveled to Europe. As he followed a few days later, the Captain of the ship informed him that they were passing the spot where his daughters had perished. (Other accounts suggest that the composition occurred later when in the company of D. L. Moody and Ira Sankey. The message is unchanged.)

As he gazed at the spot, he composed a poem. It begins, "When peace like a river, attendeth my way." He had suffered devastating financial losses, his four year old son had died a couple of years earlier (according to some accounts–others place it later), and now his daughters had also died. And the first thing he wrote, on the spot, was about peace. The rest of the lyrics give us a tremendous insight into this man and his relationship with his God.
    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.
     Refrain:
    It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.

The second line is our insight into faith. "Whatever my lot...." This man, like Job, was not driven by personal peace and prosperity. God was his source of comfort. Or as we saw recently, "a mighty fortress." (http://reflectionsfromjim.blogspot.com/2017/06/a-mighty-fortress.html) As we contemplate disaster, do we begin with the "attending" peace in our hearts and thoughts? We should. To paraphrase the old real estate mantra, "Location, location, location," we substitute, "Peace, peace, peace."

Music by P. P. Bliss. That is also an interesting person, particularly his name, Bliss. He wrote words and/or composed the music for "Almost Persuaded," "Dare to Be a Daniel," "Hallelujah, What a Savior," "Hold the Fort," "Let the Lower Lights be Burning," "Jesus Loves Even Me," among others. Maybe more about him later.

Let's "roll" through the rest of his meditation.
    Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control,
    That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
Refrain.

That sounds like he has been reading Job, doesn't it? Satan may "buffet" but he will not overcome the one who has the " controlling assurance" that Christ is on his side. "It is well with my soul."

My literary analysis would suggest that there are two climaxes in this contemplation. One is "now" and the other is "later." (Not to be confused with a candy confection.) Now is here and now and hits the condition that we all face.
    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!
    Refrain. (Music Ed. No pause after "whole," keep on going.)
My sin is nailed to the cross. It is no longer mine. (Fist pump, hand in the air, anything. Don't just sit there. And maybe a tear or two. And for sure, Amen.) Glory. Praise the Lord. It is well with my soul.

And here we encounter the affliction of all hymn writers and the competing requirements of hymn publishers: The onus and cost of skipped verses. Verses are either skipped when publishing or when the song leader omits a verse or two. (Lyrics below.) "A Mighty Fortress" is often sung without the third verse, then starts the final stanza with, "That word...." Huh, what word? I always wondered about that. Looking at the "omitted" third verse makes it all clear. Below.

Back to Spafford. After declaring his "peace with God," through Christ's blood, he moves to life after "re-birth." He revisits the comfort in times of testing and trial.

That was now, this is then. Then he hits the second climax with the final two verses, anticipating the glorious return of our Lord and Savior. Our peace is based on the line, "The sky, not the grave, is our goal." We should sanction the guy who chose to leave out that verse and line. "The trump!" Get ready, the climax of climaxes is coming.

    And Lord, haste the day when the 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.

"And Lord, haste the day." (2 Peter 3:12 Go read it in KJV.) "My faith shall be sight." Has this guy inserted Scripture into every phrase? Great. (Hebrews 11:1) "The clouds be rolled back as a scroll." (Revelation 6:14) Here is the trumpet, again. (1 Corinthians 15:52) "And the Lord shall descend." (1 Thessalonians 4:16) "Even so...It is well with my soul." (Revelation 22:20) (Fist pumps. Two hands up. Music: FFF or louder. No tears? You asleep, man? Or dead.)

No wonder he, and we, can exultantly proclaim, "It is well, it is well with my soul!"

A-main! Selah! Think of that! Glory. (Fist pump.) A hero wrote that.

Lyrics composited.
It is Well With My Soul

    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.
        Refrain: It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.

    Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control,
    That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. (Refrain)

    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! (Refrain)

    For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll,
    No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. (Refrain)

    But, Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
    Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! (Refrain)

    And Lord, haste the day when the 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. (Refrain)

A Mighty Fortress

    A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
    Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
    For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
    His craft and pow'r are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
    On earth is not his equal.

    Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
    Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
    Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
    Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
    And He must win the battle.

    And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
    We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us;
    The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
    His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
    One little word shall fell him.

    That word above all earthly pow'rs, no thanks to them, abideth;
    The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;
    Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
    The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still,
    His kingdom is forever.