The first verse of the song “From Every Stormy Wind” says, “From every stormy wind that blows, from every swelling tide of woes, there is a calm, a sure retreat; ’tis found beneath the mercy seat.” The mercy seat is a place of peace and rest from all the challenges we face. The calmness, protection, and love of the One who sits on the mercy seat are what keep me going every day.
Thankful, blessed, sorrowful, pained, and hopeful are a few adjectives that describe how I feel as we approach the close of the year 2020. I know that I am not alone with those sentiments. Many people have stories to tell.
On January 1, 2020, God brought my oldest sister through a medical crisis she did not even know she was having. Thankfully, today she is doing well.
In March, God brought me through a medical crisis that could have resulted in more severe consequences had I not gone to the hospital when I did. I am blessed that He continues to be with me every step of the way as I recover.
In April, my heart was filled with sorrow as I experienced the loss of my youngest brother. He died without family or friends by his side, but I do not believe he was alone. I believe that God was with Him. Death is painful, regardless of what family is experiencing the grief from it, but it seems more difficult to process during this time of COVID-19. I hold on to the hope that I will see my brother again.
This year, more than any year I can remember in my lifetime, I am pained at the position we find ourselves in as a nation. Evil seems to be prevailing and getting worse and worse. We are reminded in Matthew 24:5-8, 13, 14, NKJV, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. . . . But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
As Christians, we need to take God at His word. The mercy seat is there for all of us to approach. Discouraged though we may be at times, pondering why God allowed certain things to happen, we must take heart in knowing that He knows what is best for us.
When hard pressed for answers, visit the mercy seat because there you will find comfort, and there you will find rest. When thankful and blessed, return to the mercy seat with a grateful heart. Share your cares, concerns, and joys with the One who sits on the mercy seat.
Let the experiences of 2020 serve to encourage you to be stronger and more determined to reach out to someone with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope of His soon return.
