There
are times in life when it seems that no matter what you do the waters of life
remain tumultuous. We seek out avenues of refuge, we strive to find pathways of
release and still, our souls continue to feel the weight of life. It is during
these moments that I close my eyes and allow the tears of my heart to saturate
my soul. And as I gently find my place on my knees, I am consumed by the sweet
melody of uncompromising faith…
When peace like a river attendeth your way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever your lot—I have taught you to say,It is well, it is well, with your soul.
In
Jesus and through the Spirit, our Lord God has given us the melody of rejoicing
in our times of turmoil, our moments of discomfort, our situations of suffering.
In Christ and through the Spirit, we have been given the opportunity to become
His melody of insane love. An opportunity that comes only because we have been
sealed by the Holy Spirit.
The
Holy Spirit comes into our lives so as to eternally remind us of our truth in
Christ. The Spirit comes to us so as to awaken our hearts to the voice of the
Father. “Let me say it again: I have chosen you,” says our Father in heaven. “I
have called you by name; I have redeemed you; I have sealed you by my Spirit.
Your inheritance is sure, because I am passionately committed to magnify the
glory of my grace in your salvation.”
When
we experience God’s grace at the cross, instead of being our Judge, God becomes
our Father and Jesus Christ becomes our Lord. Rather than running from God
because we wanted to hide our sins and because we feared His judgment, we can
draw near to God with hearts washed clean (Heb. 10:22). Instead of proudly
running our own lives to promote our own interests, we now submit gladly to Jesus
as Lord and Master, seeking to do His will.
For
when we seek His heart we find His will. And there in His heart we find His
Spirit who lifts us up out of the valleys of darkness so that through His insane
love we might “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (v16). Yes,
when we embrace the Spirit so as to go deep into the heart of Christ we are
engulfed in His mercy and grace such that our hearts are transformed such that
we want nothing more than to sing out the glory of His presence:
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.
Father God, in Christ and
through the Spirit, You have made it well in our souls. Help us to live out the
resounding sound of Your love through our acts of mercy and grace. Amen Jesus!
