Our Most Trusted Counselor

Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.  
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.”  
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.  
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.  
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You hold my lot.   
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 
I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  
You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy;  
at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.   

Psalm 16

There is a specific spot in my kitchen, next to the sink, where the morning sunlight beams through the window every dawn. I’m scurrying around the kitchen, making breakfast, packing lunches, and a direct ray of light catches my attention. Every single time, it stops me in my tracks, and I turn towards the window. With my face lifted high and my heart swelling, I quietly exhale. I think of my mom, who’s with the Lord, and I joyfully say, “Lord Jesus, good morning!” I linger as long as I can, eyes closed and basking in the glow. That little window spot is a thin place for me. It’s like a glimpse of Home.

Since Mom’s homegoing four and a half years ago, I think about heaven and life with Jesus every day. Some days I dwell on the thoughts, and other days they are more fleeting. Yet without fail, thoughts of eternal life infiltrate my mind and heart. This has not always been the case for me. But with time, age, life experience, and a growing awareness of the brokenness of this world, sometimes…it is all I can think about. Home – with Jesus. When every tear shall be wiped away and everything broken made whole. Home.

Until the Lord returns or calls us Home, we find ourselves here, in a world that He created in perfect order, and yet, a world ravaged by sin and brokenness. Disease and broken relationships mark our families. Tragedy and unthinkable sadness mar our communities. We are left with more questions than answers, and if left to our own devices and resources, we easily descend into despair. In our flesh we cry out: “Where are you, God? Why?” For me, the piercing ray of light through the kitchen window bellows HIS response: “WITH. I am WITH you.” Our most trusted Counselor is not far off or aloof: He is WITH us. In Psalm 16:7-8 David blesses the Lord and declares his confidence: “I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

This past week, our community has been jolted by tragedy. Families and communities are devastated. In these moments, when we’re battling disbelief and even doubt, where do we run? In the middle of the night, when the darkness is palpable and overwhelming, we cry, “Where are You, Lord? Why? How?” But the light pierces through our despair and shouts: “WITH. I am with you.” David was a man acquainted with tragedy and despair, yet even in the valley of the shadow of death, David says that he will fear no evil. Why? Because his Shepherd is with him (Psalm 23:4). Who can walk calmly through such a valley? Only people who know they are not alone, who know they are held, protected, and not abandoned by a most trusted Counselor.

The light shines in the darkness. Our future hope of life is with the saints who have gone before us and with our enthroned King…this reality should invade our present lives. Through every storm this side of heaven, we are not alone. As those who know Christ as our only refuge, how can we live today in light of the end? Friends, the grief and sadness we feel are not the end of the story. This is not our home! How can we not run into the streets and hold out this unshakeable truth to our broken community? He is WITH us. The ache and grief are real, but our confidence in Jesus and our hope of heaven are real, too. Only in Christ can such an extreme tension exist. We can run to our brothers and sisters and declare what we know. We can throw our arms around those who grieve, whether they know our hope in Jesus or not. Even in our darkest hours, we can hold out the light of Christ because He is with us.

Today, we’re living on our toes, straining to see with our eyes a light breaking on the horizon. We’re desperately hoping for a ray of light to shatter through the window and remind us that He is near, that we have not been abandoned, that He is coming again. Come, Lord Jesus. Let Your nearness be our strength. Most trusted Counselor, comfort Your people with the sure reality that You are with us. Friends, our hope is certain. Stand on your tiptoes with your eyes towards the horizon. “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14).