Hymns of the Church (Part III) – “How Is It With Your Soul?”

Sermon Title: Hymns of the Church – How Is It With Your Soul

Good News Statement: God makes us well

Summary: What do you need to do to embrace a soul that is well?

Preached: Sunday, September 21^st, 2025, at Dogwood Prairie & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Hebrews 11:1-4 and 32-38, Today’s scripture reading comes from the Book of Hebrews which reminds us of Biblical heroes who changed and saved lives but also endured moments of pain and torture leaving their soul not well. May the reading and hearing of scripture add understanding to your life.

 

The Meaning of Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

The Examples of Abel, Enoch, and Noah

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks

The Faith of Other Israelite Heroes

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground.

The Word of God, for the People of God; And all God’s People said, “Thanks Be To God.”

 

History of Hymns: “How Great Thou Art”: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-it-is-well-with-my-soul

 

 

Introduction[1]:

For almost two thousand years, Christians have used music as a way to worship. In the Bible the Apostle Paul writes: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” In the Book of Psalm we read these words, “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” (Psalm 98:4 and Psalm 100:1). For the past two thousand years, music has been used across denominational boundaries, beliefs, religious practices, and traditions as a means to embrace and celebrate the lessons of scripture. Needless to say, music has become an essential practice of one’s faith.

Hymns originated in ancient cultures and evolved through Jewish, Greek, and Roman practices, eventually becoming systematic in early Christianity with Latin chants. The roots of hymns can be traced to ancient civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and India. The word “hymn” comes from the Greek word “hymnos” which means “a song of praise”. Originally, hymns were written to honor various gods of varying traditions. The first recorded hymn, found in Exodus 15, is the Song of Moses in the Old Testament, celebrating the Israelites’ crossing of the Red Sea. Later on, in the same chapter, Miriam, Moses’ sister, encourages those around with tambourine in hand to “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously…” (Exodus 15:21).

Hymnody—the singing or composition of hymns—has evolved and changed since that first hymn in the Old Testament as well as over the centuries and has been affected by new thinking and developing religious beliefs. For example, throughout the history of the church, whenever there has been renewal, a revival or restoration, new songs of worship have appeared. During the Middle Ages hymnody developed in the form of Gregorian chant or ‘plainsong’. It was sung in Latin and most often by monastic choirs. But in the 16th Century, church goers were given much greater access to hymns as a result of the invention of the printing press and the influential German theologian, Martin Luther, who began encouraging people to sing together in congregations. As one resource noted, “Martin Luther in the 16th Century revolutionized Christian hymnody by encouraging congregations to sing hymns in their own languages (vernacular) rather than just Latin, a movement that spread widely with the invention of the printing press.”[2]

In England the non-conformist minister Isaac Watts (1674-1748) began a transformation of congregational singing. Watts believed strongly that hymns should express the religious feelings of the people and he became a prolific writer, creating hundreds of new hymns—such as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World.” Watts has been described as “the liberator of English hymnody” as his hymns moved people away from simply singing Old Testament psalms to inspiring people to sing from the heart with great faith and understanding.

In the same time period, another significant movement affected the hymns of the church: the Methodist movement, led by John Wesley. Wesley and especially his brother Charles used simple rhythms and sing-able melodies to help congregational singing. It has been noted that Charles Wesley wrote over 6,000 hymns during his lifetime from 1707-1788, and most of the hymns that he wrote were written to accompany specific sermons by John Wesley to convey a particular theological message. Some of Charles Wesley’s 6,000 hymns are still sung today in churches around the world: “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” and “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” and “ Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” and probably his two most famous hymns are “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” and “Hark! The Harold Angels Sing.”

Then in the late 19th Century a new style of hymnody known as “gospel” emerged. These songs were usually characterized by a strong lead vocal and exciting harmonies, and were a great influence on later contemporary worship worldwide. Then in twentieth and twenty-first centuries we have seen an explosion of new hymn writers and approaches. Old texts have been refreshed by new tunes. African American spirituals, especially those during the slave era, are now found in hymnals and churches around the world, and lots more contemporary hymns have sprung up. In the non-traditional church movement there has been a move away from the previous style of congregational singing to worship led by one singer or a worship band. Instrumentation has become more popular and musical styles have become much freer. The church today is richer than ever in musical resources and continues to bring congregations together through song.

It is clear, that throughout history—from Old Testament times to Gregorian Chants to Luther’s reformation to the thousands of hymns composed by Charles Wesley to spirituals to gospels and finally to contemporary music—hymns have been an essential building block of and for the church. But the question that we will be exploring is not necessarily about the history of hymns but of what hymns has the church found to be foundational all these years: “What hymns have shaped the church of yesterday for today?”

 

Body:

The phrase “Where words fail, music speaks” is attributed to the 19th-century Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The original version, “When words fail, sounds can often speak,” appeared in his 1840 collection “What the Moon Saw.” The statement “music speaks when words fail” means that music has the power to express complex emotions, connect people across cultures, and evoke feelings in ways that verbal language cannot, acting as a universal form of communication. This idea highlights music’s ability to convey joy, sadness, and other profound sentiments when spoken words are inadequate or impossible. Have any of you ever heard that statement before: “Where words fail, music speaks”? If you really think about it, there is something about music that draws people together, that creates a common ground, and that conveys a sense of understanding. Music is powerful, especially when words are lost.

Music is powerful in several ways. Music as an universal language transcends linguistic and cultural barriers, allowing people from different backgrounds to connect and share experiences through melody and rhythm, even without understanding lyrics. Music is also a means of establishing an emotional connection: it can stir deep emotions, such as sadness, joy, or contemplation, providing a way for individuals to process and understand feelings they cannot articulate. Musical pieces can trigger vivid memories and create strong associations with specific events or periods of life, adding depth to emotional experiences. Furthermore, music communicates on a more primal, instinctual level, directly addressing the soul and providing a sense of meaning and understanding where logical explanations fail. And for many, music offers a vital channel of communication when words fail. In essence, music serves as a powerful and adaptable medium for human experience, offering a voice to feelings that words alone cannot capture.

Music is powerful. It’s all around us. It’s part of your life. I bet there is not a day that goes by that you don’t listen to some kind of music. The same goes for the church. There is not a Sunday that goes by that we don’t sing or hear hymns. Music is not just part of our life, but it’s part of our faith. So to help us understand this, each week for several weeks, we are going to explore hymns that shaped the church. The third hymn we examine is “It Is Well With My Soul.” And the question we will be asking ourselves is “How is it with our soul?”

 

Movement One: History of “It Is Well with My Soul”…

Two weeks ago, we examined the hymn composed by John Newton who used his life story, his conversion, to give God thanks for the amazing grace in his life. The hymn “Amazing Grace,” written in 1772—just over two and a half centuries ago—speaks of a grace that is powerful enough to save us sinners, to help us see, to transform us, to inspire us to do something new, to rescue us from our past, and to lead us home—getting us closer to Christ. Last week, we used the story of Carl Boberg, who, in 1886, during a storm, realized the power of God’s greatness. Boberg in 1886 wrote the hymn “How Great Thou Art” and it expresses God’s greatness through His creation and the redemption and salvation of Jesus Christ. Boberg’s hymn inclines us to look at our own life and spend time reflecting on the question “How great is God?” This week, we examine another hymn composed in the late 1800s that expresses a sense of peace when there shouldn’t have been peace. But, before we get to that hymn, I have to confess something.

 I love a good action movie! Movies where good overcomes evil; love prevails; righteousness triumphs and the hero rides off into the sunset. Those are “feel good” movies because everything works out the way it should. Listen to this ending: “It’s the end of the movie. The Drifter has to be moving on. There are other people in trouble, other wrongs to right, other paths to follow, and so, he saddles up his horse and rides west into the setting sun. And the townspeople look on as his figure, silhouetted against the orange disk in the sky, and he disappears into the horizon. The music swells and the words “The End” appear on the screen.”[3] Isn’t that nice! Those are kind of endings we love to see, love to be a part of, love to live out, love to experience, and love to hang on to. It’s not just in movies that we witness “happy endings” and heroes. We see them in scripture as well.

In fact, the Bible is filled with many of those kinds of heroes. Hebrews 11 provides us with a brief list of heroes such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Samson, David, and Samuel. These were heroes that stood up for God and for righteousness. And their story ended with them riding off into the sunset. These heroes “conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight, made walls come tumbling down, split open bodies of water, defeated giants, created life after a great flood, and rode off into the sunset (Hebrews 11:33-34).

Isn’t that how life should be? Isn’t that how we want to live our life: being able to ride off into the sunset knowing that all the evil has been conquered, that all the problems of the world and of our life are no more? That by the faith of our ancestors, we get the chance to live in a perfect world composed of unity, harmony, and of one soul and heart? That’s the way it ought to be! Can I get an “amen”?

But, you and I both know… life doesn’t always work out that way. Good doesn’t always win; love doesn’t always prevail; unity falls victim to differences; and righteousness doesn’t always triumph. Sometimes there is no victory. Sometimes there isn’t even a sunset to ride off into. I love a good action movie when the hero wins, but truth be told life doesn’t always work out that way. Author F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” Sometimes in life things don’t go to plan, the way we expected, or even how we wanted. We feel like a hero but have experienced tragedy. That’s what happened to Horatio Spafford in the 1870s.

Back in the 1800’s there was a successful lawyer and businessman named Horatio Spafford. He and his wife, Anna, had five children and it seemed that all was well with his life. But then, in 1871, his young son died of pneumonia. And in that same year, much of his business was destroyed in the great Chicago fire. By 1873, he’d rebuilt his business and could afford to take a vacation with the family, so they booked an ocean liner to travel to Europe. However, because of an unexpected business issue, Spafford was forced to stay behind. But he promised he’d catch another ship and join his family later. About four days after his family left for Europe, the liner collided with another ship and quickly sank—226 of the 313 passengers drowned, including Spafford’s four daughters. His wife Anna was rescued and sent a telegram to her husband. The telegram simply stated, “Saved, alone.” Spafford took the next available liner to be with his wife, and as his ship passed near where his daughters had died he was overcome with grief. But on that voyage, he penned the words to now famous hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.”

The hymn goes like this: “When peace like a river attendeth my way; When sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’ It is well (it is well) With my soul (with my soul). It is well, it is well with my soul.”

I asked myself, “How could he write those words?” He’d just lost his four daughters? Prior to that, he lost his son and his business empire was destroyed in a great fire. There is no way his soul could be well. I know mine couldn’t be. Could you write what he wrote? Losing so much and then saying “It is well with my soul?”

Is your soul well, today? How is it with your soul? Is your soul troubled by something that has happened? Is your soul troubled by thinking about what could happen? Have you ever imagined you would be the hero—avoiding pain and destruction, getting everything you want—but only to experience a tragedy? We love to think that nothing bad can or will ever happen to us, but truth be told we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. So, for right now, how is it with your soul? Is your soul well?

 

Movement Two: How is it with your soul…

When I thought about Spafford’s story, I found myself thinking about the question John Wesley, the founding father of the movement known as the People Called Methodist, often asked at the start of his meetings. He would ask, “How goes it with your soul?” The purpose of this question was to encourage self-reflection and accountability within small group meetings known as class meetings. The question served as an invitation to honestly assess one’s spiritual condition, fostering open discussion about struggles, faith, and growth toward a deeper relationship with God. In thinking about Spafford’s story and John Wesley’s question, I thought about a few biblical encounters that might help us understand the significance of having a soul that is well even when life around us isn’t so well.

You remember the story of Job don’t you? Job had been a godly man, a good man, a righteous man, but he lost his riches, his children, and his health, and spent the better part of the book in total misery. But, it’s probably from that book that Spafford looked for comfort. It’s in the book of Job that we read these words: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). Then a few chapters later, we read these words, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” (Job 19:25-27). Like Spafford, Job in a moment of life in which everything was against him, found peace with God.

That’s what Paul wrote to the Romans when he stated: “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). Even in times when our soul is not well, and everything is against us, with God in our life, nothing can separate us from the peace, from the love, of Christ—the very source of soul.

However, we have to keep in mind that Jesus never promised us a life without pain OR sorrow. This side of heaven, we’re not going to get that. That’s why Revelation 21:4 says, “God will wipe away every tear from (our) eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” In this world, we will have pain, we will have sorrow, we will have grief, we will lose hope, we will misplace our faith, we will not feel like a hero, and our soul will not be well; but in heaven, all that will be wiped away. We must not give up when everything is taken from us.

Returning to our scripture reading for today, the idea that the author of Hebrews highlights both heroes and not heroes fascinates me because even those called upon by God, at one time had life against them, but God had other plans through peace. Hebrews 11:36-38 notes, “Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground.” Even biblical heroes experienced something that left their soul not well, not at peace.

For example, Stephen preached a powerful sermon in Acts 7, and then the crowd stoned him to death. The Apostles were the leaders hand-picked by Jesus to form the foundation of the New Testament teaching and every last one of them (except John) were martyred. They died because of their faith. And who could forget the story of Paul: “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). And in the end – Paul was beheaded in Rome for his faith.

For a moment just think what life would be like if David didn’t fight Goliath—if God took away his slingshot, if the walls of Jericho didn’t come tumbling down and the people were stuck inside, if Moses didn’t split the Red Sea and the Israelites were captured again by the Egyptians, if Mary and Joseph refused to follow through with God’s commands, if the disciples gave up every time they couldn’t heal someone or every time Jesus called them a “faithless generation,” and just think about if Jesus gave up when the authorities pushed back against him time and time again.

I bet you are probably thinking, “I don’t remember signing up for that!” And yet, that was the kind of thing that Jesus promised us would happen to us. He said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). As Spafford reminds us, in this world we will have troubles.  You might face persecution; You might face unfair treatment; You might be insulted or abused; You might face tragedy and loss and sorrow… and even death. Nothing may go your way.

There were times, when souls of the “biblical heroes” were not well. But yet, they kept moving forward. Remember what Paul wrote: “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5) so that we can have. Our heart, through the Holy Spirit, has peace.

The first verse of Spafford’s hymn declared “When peace like a River attendeth my soul…” And someone once asked: What does that mean – to have “Peace Like A River?” Well, according to the dictionary, peace is defined as: “freedom from disturbance… quiet… and tranquility. Peace does not mean everything in life is going to be still. It means that despite the ebb and flow of our circumstances, with Jesus in our lives peace washes over us, like a river. His peace reassures us that we are safe in the middle of everything.^[4]

Jesus came to give us peace. Peace even when life isn’t fair. Peace even when things aren’t right. Peace even when all we can think about is pain and hurt. Peace when tears fall. Peace when weariness captures us. Peace when no one listens to us. Peace when life is against us. Peace when all you want to do is scream. Peace when you feel like giving up. Peace when you don’t know where to go, who to talk to, or what to believe.

The story of Spafford is a story of tragedy, of pain, of sorrow, of doubt, of unrelenting guilt; but it’s also a story of an individual finding peace when peace was hard to find. Are you in need of peace today? Are you willing to let peace, the peace of Christ, make your soul well again?

 

Movement Three: Will Peace Ever Be Felt Again…

 This past Thursday during the reflection on Facebook, I shared about a few things that have recently taken place within our nation that has left me wondering if things can ever be well again. Almost two weeks ago Charlie Kirk—31 at the time—the founder of Turning Point USA, who some agreed with and others didn’t, was assassinated on a Utah College Campus leaving behind his wife of four years and two young children.  The day after his assassination, we, as a nation, remembered the events that took place 24 years ago on September 11^th, 2001, when fear and hatred guided people’s lives, when nearly 3,000 people breathed their last breath, when God became a victim rather than a means of hope, when the ground of our nation was shaken to its core. Did you know that also during that week, threats were made to seven historically Black Colleges forcing the colleges to be on lockdown? Did you know that also during that week, at a Colorado High School, there was a school shooting: leaving the shooter dead and two other students hospitalized? Do you know that as of September 10^th of this year, of this year, there have been 57 school shootings in the United States: 57 school shootings in the span of six months of school, 57 school shootings in the span of 253 days, 57 school shootings that shouldn’t have taken place. According to CNN, “24 school shootings have been on college campuses, and 33 have been on K-12 school grounds. As a result of these school shootings, 19 people have died and at least 77 have been injured.” And we can’t neglect to think about everything that is happening overseas, or even what took place a few days ago when five police offers were shot in Pennsylvania and an African American college student was found hanging from a tree in Mississippi.

I don’t know about you, but with everything happening around me, it’s hard to have a soul that is well, it’s hard to find peace, it’s hard to not worry, it’s hard not to live in fear, it’s hard to have hope, it’s hard to breath. How can anyone find peace and embrace a soul that is well when every time you listen to the news or scroll through social media, you realize that being able to ride off into the sunset is more of a dream than a possibility? I don’t mean to be political, but how can peace like a river flow through a nation that is more keen on differences than living in harmony and unity? What ever happened to the words of Paul: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32)? What ever happened to the proverb found in Ecclesiastes that proclaims, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)? What ever happened to what Jesus taught his disciples, “to love your neighbor as you love yourself?” Is it possible to have a soul that is well?

Last Friday, our new District Superintendent sent out an email and it offered a brief reflection. I wish to quote it now: “I myself struggle to discern which news stories merit my time and attention: which events to write about, which tragedies to lament publicly.  Jesus’ words about sparrows, in the gospel of Matthew, call me back from the large-font headlines to the tender heart of God. “Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from your Father’s care,” is the way I learned it.”

The answer to the question, “which tragedies do we lament; which losses do we honor?” is – all of them. Because all of them matter to God…. And I believe God weeps at every act of violence and hatred in this world that God so loves. Large or small…every fallen sparrow saddens the God who gave it life, and every act of vengeance and violence perpetrated on one child of God by another breaks God’s heart.”

To her reflection I ask: How, then, do we respond? How might we help heal the heart of God as well as the wounds of this hurting world? How can we have a soul that is well? Here’s my answer: Commit to caring. Commit to engaging in one act of resurrection and redemption today, to help shift the balance back toward hope be kind.

The soul of our nation can be well again. Your soul can be well again. Peace can flow like a river again. In order for things to happen, we must not give up. We must acknowledge that in every tragedy God is still working; that in every ounce of darkness, the light of Christ is present; that in everything lost, God will find and rescue and save. Riding off into the sunset may seem like a dream today, but if you truly rely on God and trust in Him, it can be a possibility tomorrow. This world needs peace, this world needs to experience a soul that is well. Are you willing to help make that happen? I know it can happen, because I am standing before people today that have the gifts and talents to make it happen. God is in this place. God is in your heart. You are a hero to God that has overcome so much in your life. Don’t let what has happened in the past take you away from what you can do today for tomorrow.

Before I conclude this message, I invite you to ponder these questions: First, what do you need to do to have a soul that is well? What will bring you peace and the assurance that things can be okay? Second, how can we as a church help generate a soul that is well for our church, our community, and for those within this nation?

 

Conclusion:

How is it with your soul?[5] With everything going on around us, having a soul that is well seems impossible. Today, you might be dealing with something that has caused your soul to not feel well. Maybe you are dealing with pain. Maybe you are hurting. Maybe you are confused and in doubt. Maybe you are grieving. Maybe you are struggling. Maybe you are asking “why.” Maybe you don’t know your next move. Maybe you are seeking forgiveness. Maybe you feel lost, are in the dark, feel alone. Maybe you have less hope because your prayers haven’t been answered. Whatever the reason, I bet there is something in your life that has prevented you from having a soul that is not well.

I’m telling you today, that it is okay to not feel well all the time. But I’m also telling you that don’t let your troubled soul keep you from experiencing the peace of Christ. Don’t let your troubles and struggles keep your soul from singing how great thou art, O God. Don’t let the issues of today keep you from saying “It is well with my soul.” There will always be issues that will impact us in a negative way, but we must not give up. It’s going to be hard some days to have a soul that is well. I get it: believe me. But in those times know that God is with you and He is standing beside you saying, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

The hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” is a testament to the powerful peace of God that flows like a river in all situations of life. Our days of riding off into the sunset may seem slim, but there are still chances to do so if we trust in God. There are still chances to experience the outcome of a hero’s life.

“Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this bless assurance control.” Satan thought he won over Spafford, like he does with us at times, but Christ prevailed and won the victory for us. Let Christ be victorious in your life, surrender all to him, and let Christ make your soul well again. How goes it with your soul?

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, through you may our soul be well again. May we give you all that weighs us down, all our worries, all our stresses, all our anxieties, fears, and darkness so that we may endure triumphs as we ride off into the sunset.  In your great peaceful name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

There is a lot happening around you and within your life that can make your soul not well. Don’t give into those things: surrender to Jesus, embrace his victory, and know that with him in your life you will be able to ride off into the sunset singing, “It is well, it is well, with my soul.” May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go forth doing what you can to have a soul that is well. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4vMxs6kctQgkwkvgQbJTXDk/a-brief-history-of-hymns

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4vMxs6kctQgkwkvgQbJTXDk/a-brief-history-of-hymns

[3] https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RidingIntoTheSunset

[4] Definition found at https://bethelmusic.com/blog/peace-like-river/

[5] As John Wesley taught, we are either growing in grace or declining. Thus, our answers to “How is it with your soul?” should aim beyond a current state or feeling but how we are progressing in working out our salvation.