IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

(Adapted from LWML Sunday 2007 Sermon)

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

Psalm 31:1-5 + LWML Sunday + 6 & 7 October 2007

             The title of this morning’s sermon comes from a familiar hymn used in many churches.  The phrase and hymn were penned by a Mrs. Spafford some years ago.  “it is well, it is well with my soul,” gives the impression of great contentment and happiness.  But perhaps you would be surprised to know that the author of the hymn wrote it at a time of great sorrow and spiritual and emotional upheaval in his life.  But we will touch on that later.  Let’s ask ourselves this morning if that phrase best describes our present situation.  “Is it well with your soul?”  Are there times in your prayers or in your worship that things are not so well with your soul?  Is it more a pious hope that a present reality? 

The Problem

            If you are struggling in your soul you are in good company.  David knows your struggle and we hear it in Psalm 31. I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. (v. 9) King David had strong enemies.  They scheme together against me. (v. 13)  David could not count on his friends either, they waffled.  I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread. (v. 11)  Enemies without and enemies within, a time of intrigue.  I hear the whispering of many. (v.13) 

             You probably don’t have enemies plotting to kill you, although the threat of terrorism is more real today than years ago.  But we may people who are against us.  We have heard some lies against us, gossipers who slander us, who put the worst construction on what we do.  The Eighth Commandment is often broken.  We are guilty of it as well as others, but is small comfort to us when we are the object of slander.  There are times where we have given people reason to complain.  We confess our sins and believe we are forgiven by Jesus, but it does not still the tongues of some.  We have good reason to say, “It is NOT well with my soul.  It is not.” 

The Gospel

            While we are not blind to trouble and neither was David, we also find a wonderful thing in the Lord.  In You O Lord, do I take refuge, David wrote, the first verse of Psalm 31.  If things were not well with his soul, David knew where to go for help.  You are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me. (v. 3)  David knew God had helped him before, many times.  God keeps his promises and David counted on that.  You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (v. 5) When in trouble, go to God.  David practiced it.  You have known the distress of my soul. (v. 7) God could be counted on.  I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’  My times are in your hand. (vv. 14-15) 

             I appreciate David’s psalm.  It reminds me, and I hope reminds you, that you can turn to God for help in times of trouble and distress.  Life does gang up on people.  It is great to turn to God in need.  You and I can follow David’s lead.  The compulsion to turn to God was placed in you by God through your baptism.  In baptism you were redeemed.  Baptism brought you into the fortress of God, a place of forgiveness, life, and salvation.  In and with God, hope abounds.  His love through Christ shows us love in a loveless world, it is the light in the midst of pitch darkness, and it is peace in the midst of chaos.  You can confess with David, You are my rock and my fortress…you are my refuge.  Into your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (vv.3-5)  When our Faithful Heavenly Father is leading us through the shadows of death, through the gauntlet of slanders, through the midst of whispering tongues, we can say, “It is well with my soul.  It is well.”  Isaiah the prophet wrote, You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. (26:4) 

            At the beginning of the sermon I mention Mr. Spafford who wrote the phrase, “It is well with my soul.  It is well.”  Perhaps we think only those of great wealth and health and a life where everything goes successfully can really say that.  Horatio Spafford was a very successful lawyer in Chicago and had great wealth through real estate holdings.  But the Chicago fire of 1871 nearly wiped out his fortune.  Shortly afterwards his wife became ill and the family decided to go to Europe to seek medical care.  They booked their passage on the Ville De Havre.  At the last minute he was detained and his wife and four daughters entrusted to friends on the ship went ahead of him.  On November 22, 1873, a ship rammed the Ville De Havre and the ship sank in just a few minutes.  The four girls were lost and Mrs. Spafford was barely alive when she was rescued.  Horatio Spafford sailed when he heard of the ship wreck.  When his ship came upon the area, the captain took him to the bridge and pointed out the area the ship sank.  Can you imagine his feelings?  It was shortly afterward he wrote his famous words:

                        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.

Living the Word

            Can difficult times be a time of blessing?  I’m not saying that difficult times are enjoyable.  It is those times when the weight of the world is on your shoulders, you are suffering unjustly, people talk against you, that you realize that you are not the center of the universe and the universe doesn’t care about you.  You are experiencing first hand your sinful mortality.  When you get “crucified,” you have a better appreciation for the One who was really crucified for our deliverance.  Jesus knew what David went through and he knows what we go through.  He wants us to know that he did it for us so that there will be a day in glory when God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. (Is 25:8)  But here and now that glory is still in the future.  But hear and now God brings us into his fortress. 

            The LWML’s theme for this year is Rock!  Rest on Christ the King.  The LWML has many inspiring devotions, their quarterly seeks to bring God’s hope into the lives of those who use their Bible studies, and their Mustard Seeds, Mug Meditations, and other material is there to bring hope into people’s lives.  I and this congregation thank the LWML for their positive witness to the Lord’s work among us.  And as to their plans to start an evening group, we pray God’s blessings on that endeavor.  What support and help we can receive when we help one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord. 

            Life has its problems, some small but also some great problems.  Do you know where to turn?  David turned to the Lord.  We can as well.  We have in God one who has helped us before and desires to help us again.  God invites us into his fortress through our baptism, to find hope and strength.  With God there is hope and we can grow stronger even in the midst of problems because we grow closer to God.  In God we can say, “It is well with my soul.”

SDG