"...my sin...is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more..."

One of the most dramatic and tragic stories of modern Christianity is the life of sacrifice lived by a man named Horatio Spafford. I first heard his story from a dramatic re-enactment on a children's radio program, and his story has stuck with me like an engraving ever since.

Spafford was a very prominent lawyer and Christian in Chicago in the 1800's. He was influential both in the political and judicial world, as well as with major American Christian leaders. Blessed with both leadership talents and incredible wealth, Spafford used his gifts to do amazing things for the Lord.

We can never understand God's will fully, and with Spafford I often wonder why God chose him to bear all of these burdens. First, his wife Anna and he lost their oldest son to disease. In the midst of grieving for their son, the great fire hit Chicago in 1871. Biographers seem to agree that Spafford lost most of his investments in this fire and so lost most of his wealth. His friends, including influential evangelist D.L. Moody helped him recover, but pain was not yet gone from Spafford's door.

In 1873, Spafford and his family decided to take a holiday in England, since Moody was going to be preaching there. Business matters held him up, however, so he sent his family ahead. In the middle of their voyage, on November 21 of that year, the ship struck another vessel and sunk, killing all four of his daughters. Only his wife remained alive. His wife cabled him with the news of the accident, starting simply with, "Saved alone..."

Spafford, destroyed with grief and despair took a ship to meet his wife in England. It is said that while on board, he wrote a poem that expressed in his most humble fashion, the grace and power of God. Later, his friend Phillip Bliss, who was a close friend and confidant to Spafford in these times, put it to music. The song was called "It is Well with My Soul."

Spafford still wasn't done with his trials. He would lose another son to disease and have only one surviving daughter out of 7 children born to him. Instead of sitting in anger and bitterness, Spafford lived a life that reflected his hymn. He spent the final years of his life in Israel, providing food, shelter and medicine to many Jews, Muslims and Christians in the years before World War I. He too would die of disease right before his 60th birthday, and was laid to rest in Jerusalem in 1888. To the very end, Spafford lived a life of faith and passion, even when he was tested like very few ever have been.

His story makes that hymn that much more meaningful as I despair through simple trials. How often are things really ok, but we are so desperate to feel sorry for ourselves that we reject joy? Is that so easy for us because we are afraid of faith or because we believe we've earned the right to feel like we've been wronged by God? I really don't know yet. I only feel like I have far more to be thankful for than I give myself credit.

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 know,
“It is well, it is well with my soul”

It is well (it is well)
with my soul (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.

My sin, oh the bliss
of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross,
and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

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.