Daily Lesson for January 8, 2015

Today's daily lesson comes from Psalm 112 verses 6 through 8:

6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid.

The bad news in life is we can't escape bad news. 

We pray against it, get checkups to prevent it, insure ourselves from it, and generally worry ourselves sick over it.  But in the end, life inevitably deals us a bad hand -- and sometimes a tragic hand.

The one who has come to trust God does not trust God to protect him or her from bad news befalling them. The one who has come to truly trust God trusts God though bad news will surely come.  The one who trusts God does not trust God to protect him or her from the storm, but rather trusts that though the storm be mighty and its power absolutely devastating, God will somehow be their strength and consolation.  By the deep strength of the soul, the one who trusts in God does not fear losing all, because God is all and in all and will ultimately be all. This is our great hope, and consolation, and the promise which can get us through anything -- absolutely anything.

There is an old and beautiful hymn "It Is Well with My Soul", the words of which were written by Horatio Spafford after great tragedy befell his family.

Hear the words and take heart:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, (it is well),
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

The bad news is bad news will come our way.  It may rock and reel and shake our very foundations. Yet the good news is in the deepest part of our souls it can still be well.