It is well ...

"A man's steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?"

-- Proverbs 20:24

I ran across the story of one Horatio G. Spafford this morning. Perhaps you've heard it before, but it touched my heart and I felt compelled to share it here (As a note of full disclosure, the wide majority of the following text comes from www.biblestudycharts.com):

Mr. Horatio Spafford lived with his wife, Anna, in the Chicago during the 1860s.

He had made quite a name for himself as a successful lawyer and businessman. He was also a close friend and supporter of D.L. Moody.

In 1870, the Spafford's only son died after contracting scarlet fever at age four. A year later, the great Chicago fire wiped out every one of Spafford's many real estate holdings along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Battered from the tragic course of events, Spafford decided to take his wife and four daughters on a vacation to England, curing which they planned to help Moody with his evangelistic campaign.

They aimed to meet Moody in England in 1873 and traveled to New York to take a steamship across the Atlantic Ocean.

Just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Mr. Spafford to delay. Not wanting to deprive his family of their long-awaited trip, he urged them to continue on without him with the promise he'd meet them later.

So Anna headed to Europe with their four daughters and Mr. Spafford travelled back to Chicago.

Nine days later, he received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone."

On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her.

Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up.

When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, Mrs. Spafford's first reaction was one of complete despair.

Then she heard a voice speak to her, "You were spared for a purpose." She immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife.

Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge.

"A careful reckoning has been made," the captain said, "I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep."

Mr. Spafford returned to his cabin and put pen to paper.

The Lord brought the story of Elisha and Shunamite woman who lost her only child to Mr. Spafford's mind. When Elisha had seen the woman approaching from a distance, he sent his servant out to see if she was alright.

While her son was ultimately restored to her, Mr. Spafford found more comfort in her initial response to the servant.

She had replied, "It is well."

Sailing three miles above where his the bodies of his children rested, knowing their souls had already had gone home to a God that occupied his own heart, Horatio G. Spafford wrote the words to a hymn that would last through the generations:

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.

It is well, with my soul,
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 has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

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

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!

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

And Lord, haste the day when my 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.

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

We will rarely understand our steps -- these paths that the Lord leads us down -- but we can take great comfort in knowing those steps are of the Lord. In that thought, regardless of what comes, we can say "It it well, with my soul."