Keep Standing!

“I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely” Ps.63:8

Horatio G. Spafford was a prominent American lawyer. Not only was he tithing faithfully, he was supporting D. L. Moody’s ministry, building orphanages, and doing so many good things. But the Great Fire of Chicago cancelled most of his wealth because he was also into real estate. Two years later, he decided that his family should go on a vacation. And as his wife and their four daughters were on their way to Europe on a ship, the ship capsized leaving the wife as the sole survivor. And she sent a telegram to Spafford with the words, “Saved alone. All is lost. What shall I do?”

He practically took the next ship to Europe to go and console his wife. On the way, the sailor showed him the spot where the ship that had carried his wife and four daughters capsized. Meaning, he was going over the grave of his children. Imagine the agony that he felt but he sat down and wrote the popular hymn “It is well with my soul”. His wife had three more children but not long after that his only son also died.

What makes a man go through that much pain and still acknowledge that God is faithful? What makes a man go through that much agony and still say God never fails? It is the realization that every attack on his prosperity was an attack on his faith. Every attack on his wealth was an attack on his relationship with God. Every attack on his health was an attack on his relationship with God. Job’s wife said to him, you have lost your prosperity, your wealth, your health, and you are still holding on to your relationship with God? Curse God and die so that I can marry another man [paraphrased]. The italicized words are my addition, my imagination. Job’s wife did not really say that but why else was she telling him to curse God and die? Job was useless to her but Job refused. I pray that you will refuse to curse God. I pray that you will refuse to let your faith shake and that you will stand strong in your faith all the days of your life.

You should always be mentally prepared for any setback. The enemy is thinking day and night about taking away your advantage. You must be at least a step ahead of him.

Prayer [hymn]: 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. Amen!