'The Waves and Wind Still Know His Name'
If you’re not familiar with the Bethel version of “It Is Well With My Soul,” get familiar with it now.
This song played in my head all weekend. My little sister chose it as part of the music played in her wedding ceremony, and I melted as I heard the band rehearse it at the church Thursday night and then again when my sister and I played it on repeat (at my request) on the way to the bridal luncheon and finally during the wedding itself as it played and everything else was silent before the moms walked down the aisle with the ushers’ help, and the bridesmaids lined up behind the large wooden doors, hushing the flower girl who kept meowing back at us.
There is a line in the chorus of this song I’m singing still:
“The waves and wind
still know
His name.”
I first caught it in the car as the song played on its fourth repeat. “They still know His name,” I thought as I drove. “They still know His name,” I thought as we reached the old downtown manor where the luncheon would be held. “They still know His name,” I thought as I got out of the car and walked beneath the too-hot 10am sun. I kept thinking about this lyric until I said it aloud to no one, “THE WAVES AND WIND STILL KNOW HIS NAME.” I couldn’t help myself. They still know His name!
You know this story. Remember it. There was a storm and the disciples were afraid and Jesus was asleep and they woke him up at a loss for what to do, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” (Mark 4:39-41).
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about this wedding and how as much as I was looking forward to it, it reminded me of a color I was missing in my life’s paint-by-number creation. And tonight I sit here and all I can think about is how that story in Mark didn’t just happen in Mark, but that it happens still. That Jesus told the wind and waves to be silent and I like to remember that story in past tense and I keep it locked up there tightly. I forget he is the same today, that those winds and those waves? They still answer to Him. That my “storms” as I like to dramatically consider them, are at the mercy of Him not only years and years ago but this morning, and tonight and tomorrow. That His faithfulness is in motion, not sporadic. It’s continuous and moves with us, in and out of the dark and light times, whether we see it or not.
Nothing about this weekend felt unfair or incomplete as our paint-by-numbers often can. When you walk in the knowledge that everything around you still knows His name, that includes you too. And if you know his name, life is suddenly filled in with peace and, like the waves and the wind, you are still.
Absolutely true. Absolutely beautiful! love you and really enjoyed seeing you.
Love you! Our time is always too short but I’ll take what I can get!
So thankful I followed your blog and so thankful I decided to check out posts this morning. What a beautiful reminder that no matter how ineffective or tired I feel, It is Well with my Soul.
So thankful you did too 🙂
You have such a wonderful gift Andrea! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, they are a blessing and a reminder to me as well!!
That’s the very phrase that jumped on me! I love you & love your heart & your words!
THIS…my favorite of yours so far! Love it.
Andrea, I absolutely love your posts….every day you write ‘meets’ me and my situation in a very real way. Although I don’t know you as I do others in your family, I have such a deep appreciation for you. Keep up the great work. YOU are a writer and I love reading your work. Thank you.
Thank you, Mary!
What part of the ceremony did your sister play this song? I bought this song on iTunes months ago and I have always loved it!
It played when the moms walked down the aisle, before the bridal party. I was so beautiful!
Wow! That’s Awesome And PowerFul ThanK You So MUCH The Message In Our Songs Should Talk About Jesus
Beautiful just Beautiful never heard it song like that before heared it song different.
Thank you Andrea. That is one of my favourite songs ever and that phrase also jumped out at me the first time I heard it but I never really fully grasped it until reading your post. So thanks for sharing ?
Amen! God bless you for this
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Nicely said! Great post! God bless!
i loved your article
Beautiful words.