It Is Well With My Soul (Sort Of)

It was well with my soul, until our computer died.  Just when I am trying to resurrect this blog! Sorry people. No cute pictures to look at...just words to read.  Yesterday we had a memorial service for a special man that attended our church.  His name was James.  James always put a smile on my face.  He always had encouraging words for everyone.  He always told me that I was his angel!  He always wanted to see a smile.  He was always full of praise.  James was not a healthy man.  Some Sundays he was in a wheelchair.  Some Sundays he was able to walk with a cane.  One day he had trouble breathing, went to the hospital, and they could not stabilize him. He was only 55 years old.  James is now in heaven, whole and healthy, but man, I sure do miss him!

As I drove to his service, I saw such a disturbing scene.  In Houston, it seems like we have an unusually large group of panhandlers.  There is always someone at an intersection asking for money.  They wait at the light, and once the light is red and cars are stopped, they walk up to each car and ask for money.  Yesterday, as I was driving down a very busy street on my way to the memorial service, I noticed a panhandler laying on his back in the median of the busy road as cars whizzed by him. It was a haunting sight. It was hard to tell if he was dead or alive. Two men had stopped and were standing over him.  One man had his phone and was probably calling for help. When I got home, I looked on the computer to see if it was in the news, but I couldn't find anything. God had something he wanted to teach me...

So this morning, as I sat in church, I couldn't help but think of James.  It was hard to look at the pew where he always sat and know that his seat would always be empty. I also thought of that man that was laying in the middle of the road. The sermon was from Romans 5:6. This verse says that while we were still weak, Jesus died for us.  The Bible uses the word weak to describe us. The vision of that panhandler came to mind as I read the word weak. That man yesterday was completely out of it. He couldn't do a thing to help himself.  That is how I looked to God. Completely helpless, unable to get myself up off that busy street. If the ambulance came, that man could not do anything to help himself recover.  And Jesus came, saw my helpless position, and came to save me.  Knowing what Christ has done for me, I am able to loudly sing out, "It Is Well With My Soul!!!!" Even if my computer is broken.