Once upon a time in a land not so far away, there was a day that felt sad and gloomy. What should have been a happy day, a day to celebrate, instead just felt heavy with loss and questions. Joy seemed distant in spite of one’s efforts to make the most of the moment.
Then, appeared a gift. A thoughtful, selfless, beautiful gift. It was a wall hanging with just six words:
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.
The giver of the gift summarized their intent for purchasing it by saying, “We know this is a difficult time. But we are not worried or afraid. We know that God is with us and will provide. This sign is a reminder of that.”
Happy tears began to stream down the recipients’ faces. Moment after moment of God’s faithfulness began to replay in the recipients’ minds. And they declared, “Yes Lord, It is well with my soul!”
The Bible tells us about the lives of Abraham, Joseph, and Daniel. Whether preparing to sacrifice a long-awaited son or being wrongfully imprisoned or thrown into a lion’s den, we see how these men were not afraid. They trusted that God was with them. They believed that God was for them. They were confident that God would provide for them. They found rest in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.
Each of their journeys had a “happily ever after”: a ram was in the thicket awaiting Abraham to be sacrificed instead, Joseph was elevated to the palace, and Daniel was not wounded.
Dear Friend, what you read in the beginning was not a fictitious fairy tale. It was a page straight out of our glory story. While we don’t know how this chapter will end, we do know that our lives are in the hands of our loving God and we are grateful. Unlike us, God does know the ending and it is good as we read in Isaiah 46:8-11 (The Message):
“Think about this. Wrap your minds around it.
… Take it to heart.
Remember your history,
your long and rich history.
I am God, …—
incomparable, irreplaceable—
From the very beginning
telling you what the ending will be, …
Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul,
I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’ …
I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it.
I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done.”
~Joyce
