Hymn

They sang my favorite hymn during church yesterday. We don't sing it very often, but every time it is sung my heart seems to swell up inside me and tears begin to fall. There is just something about it that has always touched the deep places in my soul.

I grew up in the Church of Christ. Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening were always times to meet for worship. I loved going to church. One of my favorite things was when occasionally on Sunday or Wednesday evening the congregation got to choose the songs we sang. As soon as the song-leader would ask if there was a request my hand would shoot up and I would yell out, “Number 299!” “OK, we'll sing your favorite song, Sue.” I would then smile and sing with all the feeling my heart felt.

I was an adult before I learned the story behind the hymn. It was written in 1873 by a man named Horatio Spafford. He was a successful businessman in Chicago. He and his wife Anna were blessed with five children. In 1871 their youngest child and only son died, and the Spaffords lost all their possessions in the great Chicago fire. Their faith sustained them as they recovered from their great loss. Then in 1873 the family decided to take a family vacation and travel to England. At the last minute a problem with his business demanded Horatio's attention and he sent his family on ahead, promising to follow on the next ship. The ship on which his wife and daughters were sailing was caught in a great storm and sank. Two-hundred twenty-six people, including the four Spafford girls, were drowned. His wife was rescued. As soon as she was able she sent a cable to Horatio which said, “Saved alone. What shall I do.” He sailed for England immediately to be with his wife. As his ship passed over the site of the sunken ship, it paused and Horatio looked out on the great sea that had swallowed up his precious daughters. When he returned to cabin he wrote, “It is Well With My Soul.”