![]() ![]() His peace flows in the whirling "eddies" of our lives, when things just go round and round and round, seemingly going nowhere and we feel like we've lost our bearings. His peace flows in the long, placid stretches of good times, when everything is going well in our lives, with our families, at our jobs, in our hearts. From Him alone comes our peace, for He is the source of peace. It continually and constantly flows from the "headwaters" of heaven, where our Abba Father sits enthroned high above. It even completely covers them in its relentless pursuit to its ultimate destination. Yet it flows on - around, under, even over these seemingly-impossible barriers. The river, on its long journey from the headwaters, flows placidly at times, sometimes for miles and miles, meandering calmly through lush meadows, feeding the flora and fauna along the way.Īt certain junctures, though, where the bank bows inwards to create an inlet, it eddies, flowing in dizzying circles, going round and round and round, going nowhere.Īnd at other sections along the way, the river encounters various obstacles: big boulders, felled trees, other debris. The headwaters constantly and abundantly feeds the river. ![]() Thanks to mountain snow-melt, the headwaters never stops pouring forth water. May they bless you as they did me!Ī river begins from a source high above, called the headwaters. His wife alone had survived, and he was on his way to join her.īut here are my thoughts. Spafford had in mind when he penned those words in 1873, as he somberly gazed at the site where an earlier ship, carrying his wife and four daughters, had sunk on its way to England. However, I can't say with certainty that what I discovered is what Mr. ![]() ![]() I wondered why the writer, Horatio Gates Spafford (whom I had to Google), likened peace to a river, of all things? I wondered how peace is metaphorically like a river.Īnd what I discovered astounded me, and caused me to love this hymn all the more. And I began to meditate on them, much like I would a Scripture verse. Later that day, these wonderful words came back to my mind. I simply sat and let the words sooth my soul. That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, But in a moment of utter despair, God began to sing this inspirational song into my weary heart. Very sore! And I just wanted peace.īut it wasn't Philippians 4:7 that captured my attention that cold February morning as much as it was this wonderful, traditional hymn, which sadly isn't sung much in churches anymore. I won't go into detail, but the events left my soul sore. I'd been meditating on peace for over a month, having made "Pursuing Peace" my 2016 New Year's Spiritual Resolution, based on Philippians 4:7, "And the peace of God, which transcends/surpasses all understand, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." My heart had been crying out for peace after some life-upheavally events in 2015. This beloved hymn, "When Peace, Like a River" (many know it better by its chorus, "It is well with my soul") came to mind one morning in early February while I was having my devotions. And this particular word-picture, while not necessarily Scriptural, was still transforming for me. They are wonderful visuals that can deepen and enrich the truths of Scripture. ![]()
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