Storm tossed

After losing his little boy in the great Chicago fire of 1871, Horatio G. Spafford, who penned the words to the hymn, It Is Well with My Soul, later lost all four of his daughters in a ship accident at sea.

 When sorrows like sea billows roll…

Despite the tragedy, Spafford kept close to Christ, knowing God’s comfort would be true and sufficient for anything—and everything.

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord ~ Psalm 31:24

Like Job, David, Paul, Daniel, Joseph and many other saints from old, they leave us examples of hardship and persecution. With their dire troubles—even unto death—they maintained an abiding faith as they rested in the spiritual arms of Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction… ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4a

 Some by the fire and some by the flood…but all through the blood of Jesus are we sifted and refined like choice silver and gold. It would seem like Horatio Safford had been sifted with both water and fire in the Lord’s sanctification of this godly man. Like all of the ancient saints we read about, we are given hope that they survived their trials to tell the tale and only through the power of God.