Favorite Songs

It Is Well With My Soul
(Original lyrics)[1]
Written by Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss. It is possibly the most influential and enduring in the Bliss repertoire

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,a
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (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.

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!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of 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,
A song in the night, oh my soul! b

My Thoughts

Perspective on life in this Creation:

There are lots of perspectives of life, I'd like to point out 2 here. The first is lacking something, the second I think is more comprehensive.

1. This is a terrible, no good very bad place. You don't have to live very long to realize that life in this realm is hard, and appeasing the needs and issues is work. Entering into that work and brushing up against the thistles and thorns is painful and it can become overwhelming, forcing many to despair. It's like being trapped in a vice that closes in as each day (or era of life) brings new challenges and difficulties. This view accommodates the Biblical worldview as we know we are in a sinful world where there is much disobedience that causes pain. The problem though is that our minds get stuck trying to reconcile a loving God with our experiences. (Experience: a person in North America can feel deeply depressed in a well heated, comfortable home with food in the refrigerator and pantry while a political prisoner in Russia shivering on the cell floor feels the same deep despair.) This view kinda considers the spiritual realm but mostly sticks with the facts that are taught as secular understanding of life. I mean what you can touch, taste, smell, hear and see is more important than anything else. What if the unseen is more permanent that anything else. 2 Cor 4:18. If not then, yes, this is just a miserable place and we can be miserable in it, but what if the protection from what we don't see is a magnitude worse.

2. This world is our protection from something that is our horrible undoing.
You don't have to live very long to realize that life in this realm is hard, but what if there are more permanent things (the unseen realm) that exist, 2 Cor 4:18, that if we came into contact, we would be totally obliterated, but before being obliterated it would be like a horror movie x1000.
This view accommodates the Biblical worldview as we know we are in a sinful world where there is much disobedience that causes pain and it opens up the teaching of the spiritual realm that helps us understand that what we experience is less than 1% of that which would come against us.
How could Jesus be jovial as he lived on this earth? Jesus could enjoy the oasis that this world affords, in the midst of the mighty battle/storm that rages on the other side of the barrier.

Please see this world as a protective place that God has allowed you to live in, and experience his love, mercy and compassion. He has placed you in this strong protective bubble we call creation and instead of being un-thankful and holding to the #1 perspective where your appreciation has to be associated with things seen, understand the mighty fortress you are in protecting you from what is unseen. And like Jesus don't just enjoy life but let others know, God has placed them in this protective place (from the unseen horrific dark world as well as the justice of God) so they too can experience, as long as it's called today, the love, grace and mercy of God with a complete understanding.


Love,
Dad