“Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.” (Psalm 91:6)
He was a successful lawyer in Chicago, heavily invested in real estate. But the great Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed all his downtown investment properties. Two years later he and his family planned a trip to Europe. Needing to stay in Great Britain a while longer, he sent his wife and four daughters on ahead on the ship S.S. Ville Du Havre. Once out to sea, the ship struck another ship, sending it to the bottom within 12 minutes. His wife was spared. Sadly, his four daughters, ages 2 through 11, were not. Out of his personal tragedy, Horatio Spafford wrote the beloved hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.”
How could a man find within himself the ability to proclaim that all was well with his soul, after suffering such personal tragedy? How can you and I proclaim the wellness of our soul in devastation, loss, and pain?
Right now, the world is experiencing unchartered and unwanted territory. We are being inundated with earthquakes, invasions of unprecedented swarms of locusts, and the fatal pandemic of a disease called coronavirus. As a result, we find ourselves homebound and quarantined. Restaurants and stores are closed. Concerts and weddings postponed. Hand sanitizer and toilet paper have become a golden commodity. Life has come to a standstill, and it doesn’t look like it will be winding back up anytime soon. Who would have thunk!
How can we walk through such a stressful time as our world is experiencing today? First, I encourage you to read Psalm 91 in its entirety. Read it in the morning when you rise, and again at night before you lay your head on your pillow. This psalm is a beautiful reminder of the powerful protection we have from the loving God we serve. Second, pray. When you feel anxious, just stop what you are doing and spend time talking to the Lord about all you are feeling and thinking. Ask him to assure you that his presence is with you. Third, do not allow what is happening to rob you of your future. The greatest fear people have during a situation like the one we find ourselves in, is death. Do not allow your fear to rob you of the fact that our hope is in Christ. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” In other words, we can’t lose!
I have been asked in recent days if I believe we are in the end times. My answer is, I really don’t know. In speaking of the end times in Matthew 24, Jesus said that “no one knows the day or hour, when these things will happen…..Only the Father knows.” The only thing I know is that in Christ it can be well with our souls as we wait and watch!
Darlene