Where Does Our Help Come From?

May the God of peace bring you comfort in the midst of your storm.

By David Goodrich, Middle School Principal

Advent is a season of waiting for Jesus – waiting for His birth and waiting for Him to come again. As we wait, we will undoubtedly experience the suffering and loss of this world. Our covenant family experienced a loss in weeks past – our beloved former principal Mary Hubbard went to be with Jesus after a season of suffering through illness here on earth.

ThE Wilderness of suffering

As I trudge through my own wilderness of suffering, I often wonder “Where will my help come from?” The storms of life are raging, and I am left alone to navigate the waters. To be honest, during the tempests, I find myself praying, “Oh, Lord!  Might I, but for a moment enjoy the boundless sea of prosperity and experience a season of peaceful tranquility!” In the storm, too often, my selfishness consumes me, and once again, I, like Peter, take my eyes off Jesus and begin to sink beneath the waves of despair. But, then I am reminded of the truth of the gospel. Oh, what a glorious word, “but!” “But God.”

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-6 

A Magnificent truth

What a magnificent truth! “But God… made us alive, raised us up, and seated us with Him.”  The storms of life cannot consume us. The King has not and will not abdicate His throne. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the center of our affection. He will sustain us through the trials of life. 

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 

This is a simple yet profound truth, but still I regularly forget the promises of my future hope and deliverance from this body of death. Yet, in my unbelief, “But God, being rich in mercy,” demonstrates His steadfast love for us by using broken vessels, His children, to carry out His eternal plan. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul encourages us “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

personifying this truth

Our beloved sister, Mary Hubbard, personified this truth, and amidst the storm, she clung to her King and solely trusted in that which was “unseen” because she knew that it was the only thing that mattered. 

Mary’s faith during the chaos reminds me of what Charles Spurgeon once said:

“When the pangs shoot through our body, and ghastly death appears in view, people see the patience of the dying Christian. Our infirmities become the black velvet on which the diamond of God's love glitters all the more brightly. Thank God I can suffer! Thank God I can be made the object of shame and contempt, for in this way God shall be glorified.”     

Mary fought the good the fight of faith, she ran the race well, and she won! May her life be a living inspiration to us all. May we strive to know God the way she did. Moreover, may we remember the words of her dear friend and former Perimeter School parent, Mary Beth Cook, “Mary was the greatest middle school principal in America” and “the greatest friend.” She loved her God deeply, not perfectly, but she fully trusted in Him for strength. She was the essence of all that we should strive to be. As I listened to the countless stories told by her friends, one thing stood out: Mary illuminated Christ!

Prayer for our covenant community

My prayer for this covenant community is that we would never forget the saints who have gone before us, that we would strive, like Mary, to be the “greatest” at all we do, and that during the storm, we would cling to the truth.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”  Psalm 121:1-4

May you be encouraged this Advent season. May the God of peace bring you comfort in the midst of your storm. May you remember the King has come, HE still reigns, and HE is coming again to deliver us from this body of death. Praise be to God that in all things Christ is preeminent!