Where I live in Texas, a summer ritual is repeated every year. People flock by the thousands to the Frio River in the Hill Country to sit in tubes and float up the cold, lazy river. The river is shallow and slow-moving.
Some years, the water isn’t even deep enough to float in.
I often think of floating on the Frio when we sing the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” in church. The hymn begins with the words, “When peace like a river attendeth my way.”
Sometimes life is a leisurely float up the Frio.
But then the hymn continues, “When sorrows like sea billows roll.” Life isn’t always a leisurely float on the Frio. It also has its storms.
Rains fall. Rivers rise.
Tragedy strikes.
The Hill Country of Texas, and particularly the town of Ken ville, are reeling right now from the floods that took place on July 4. As I sit here writing these words, over one hundred people - many children - have been confirmed dead. Another hundred are still missing.
Entire communities have been decimated. Families are devastated. Texas is in a state of mourning.
The first question on many people’s lips is: Why? Blame is quickly assigned - to politicians, to the government, to God.
Why would God allow such a tragedy? Why would he allow children to suffer such tenor? Why would he allow them to die?
Horatio Spafford, the man who wrote they hymn “It Is Well with My Soul,” probably asked some of those same questions. You see, he wrote those words from a ship in the North Atlantic as he passed over the icy waters where his young daughters had drowned just weeks earlier.
“When peace like a river attendeth my way,” Spafford wrote, “when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well; it is well with my soul.’” Horatio Spafford could write those words because he trusted God’s promises God’s promise of forgiveness and eternal life for all who believe in Jesus, his promise that he will be with us every moment of every day, his promise that he will make all things in our lives work for our good.
Jesus was with those frightened children as the waters of the Guadalupe River roared and foamed around them. To some of them, he provided a tree, boats, helicopters, brave men and women who rescued them. Others, he took by the hand and brought them safely to the shores of heaven.
We need to remember that God’s plan from the veiy beginning was that we spend forever with him in peace and perfection. His plan from the very beginning was that we be set free from the pains and problems of this world. That’s why he sent Jesus.
God’s children who died in the Guadalupe River two weeks ago are now free.
They are now at peace.
They are with Jesus.
As we wait for the family reunion of heaven, however, each of us will have leisurely floats on the Frio as well as stormy seas.
Through it all, though, our Savior will be by our side, working all things for our good.
And that’s why, no matter what our lot in life, even as tears stream down our cheeks, we can say, “It is well; it is well with my soul.”
Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving ” and “364 Days of Devotion, ” on Amazon.com.
