June 2010 Press Toward the Mark

   Horatio Spafford composed the lyrics to the Gospel song “It Is Well with My Soul” against the historical backdrop of significant personal grief. The sequence of these grievous events began with the death of his only son followed by financial ruin from losses in the great Chicago fire. Upon the heels of these events came the loss of his four daughters from the sinking of their ship sailing to England where he was to join them later to assist D. L. Moody in evangelistic campaigns. As Spafford sailed to England to join his wife who was rescued unconscious amidst the debris of the sunken ship, the captain of his ship notified him when they passed the site of the shipwreck that took the lives of his daughters. From these experiences came the inspiration for the message of “It Is Well with My Soul” that provides comfort and encouragement to this day.

   “It Is Well with My Soul” was Kay’s favorite song. She too had walked through the valley of suffering and grief during her lifetime. Like Spafford, she found the grace of God to be greater than the grief from loss.

   Since Kay’s death last year, I have experienced great grief. Yet, I wish to celebrate the fact that even though grief is great, God’s grace is greater. He is the God of all comfort and the Father of tender mercies. I appreciate all the expressions of comfort and care extended to me and my sons from our family, friends, Genoa Baptist Church, the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Most of all, I deeply appreciate the care and comfort given to us from our Heavenly Father. We join Kay in declaring “It Is Well with My Soul” because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

   To introduce lost people to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is the purpose of Mission Ohio. We, as Southern Baptists, are cooperating together to reach at least 1,000,000 of the 11-plus million residents of Ohio for Jesus. This will require 2,000-plus congregations. Thus, Mission Ohio is our cooperative effort to reach 1,000,000 people for Christ in 2,020 congregations by the end of 2020. We want these precious people to be able to sing “It Is Well with My Soul” with us. Let’s press toward that mark.