Jesus promised His friends, called disciples and slaves, that through many tribulations they would enter the kingdom of heaven.
The same is true today, saints, as it was when our brother Horatio Spafford and his wife from Chicago, IL in the USA lost their 4 young daughters in the waters of the icy Atlantic over 125 years ago.
How in the world does anybody survive and give thanks after a stunning event like that? Only through Jesus Christ, God’s holy Son, and His Spirit…
Only God Himself really knows the depth of any trial you’re currently suffering, or have suffered, dear one. Jesus Christ Himself, the perfect sacrifice, learned obedience from the things He suffered. Amazing…even He had to endure this path. He knows. He cares. Take it to Him…
And take courage. Take heart. Keep pressing on for goal:
Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Here is a compelling story and song of tragedy, tribulation, perseverance, faith, and eventual triumph through God’s Son. The story follows below this short introduction and the song link. You may download to use for your edification and pass on…
Following the audio track just below and download link is a short summation of the song’s creation and historical background.
Here’s your download link to the song: Audio Track – right click to download
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“It Is Well with My Soul” is a very influential hymn penned by lawyer and hymnist Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss.
This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871 at the age of four, shortly followed in October of that year by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer).
Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn.
The ship sank in 12 minutes with the loss of 226 lives. Only 61 passengers and 26 crew members survived.
All four of Spafford’s daughters died. In 12 minutes they were in the frigid waters entering eternity…
His wife Anna was plucked from the water unconscious and sovereignly survived. She sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.
Bliss called his tune Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.
The Spaffords later had three more children, one of whom (a son) died in infancy. In 1881 the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Israel. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony; its mission was to serve the poor. The colony later became the subject of the Nobel prize winning Jerusalem, by Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf.
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