It can seem difficult to find peace in our current cultural landscape (let alone our global one). Maybe you can relate. Our hearts break as we read headlines and scroll through social media feeds – and even these glimpses convey only a fraction of the turmoil present in human experience. The following meditation is shared with us by FBC’s Production Director, Josh Roberts. It’s a collection of his thoughts shaped by a recent experience in prayer while gathered with other believers. Our prayer is that you’re able to slow down and let this reality profoundly comfort you: “There’s Peace in the Throne Room.”

Revelation 4: The King of the Throne Room

2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures… And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
 who was and is and is to come!”

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”

Hebrews 4: Access to the Throne Room

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Philippians 4: Peace in the Throne Room

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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“Throne Room.”
Merriam-Webster says it’s “a formal audience room containing the throne of a sovereign”.
For us, it’s the presence of God.
It’s a place of honor.
In the Old Testament, it was the Holy of Holies.
Only the High Priest could enter in, once a year.
In the New Testament, Christ became our perfect High Priest,
tearing the veil so that we could enter in -
so that we could confidently
“draw near to the throne of grace”,
and “find grace to help in time of need”.

Because of Christ,
There’s not only reverance in the throne room;
there’s peace in the throne room.

There’s peace because, in Christ,
you’re not an intruder.
You’ve been welcomed in.
You have an audience with the King.
You’re not just venting to someone over coffee;
you’re speaking with the King of the Universe,
the One who alone is in control,
the One who can affect change.
(John 10:9, John 14:6, Hebrews 4:16, Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 3:12, Hebrews 10:19, Hebrews 6:19-20)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
the King is also your Father.
There’s peace because, even though storms rage outside,
Dad’s at home. He knows what to do.
You are safe with Him.
(Isaiah 43:1-2, Mark 4:39, Psalm 62:7-8, Isaiah 41:10)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
peace is not dependent on the outcome.
Even when the answer is “no”,
He is looking out for you.
He knows what’s best.
He’s going to do what brings Him glory.
He’s going to work in your best interest.
(Philippians 4:11-13, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-8, Isaiah 55:8-9, Psalm 145:17)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
whether or not your circumstances are shifted,
your perspective is.
Your eyes are fixed on the One in the seat of honor and holiness.
Your problems shrink smaller in comparison to Him.
(Psalm 27:4-5, Psalm 46:1-3)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
the throne room becomes a place where your worries can go to die.
It’s a place where you concentrate the same energies
that you did in anxiety or fear,
on making your requests known to God.
It’s dwelling there.
It’s lingering there.
And somewhere in that communion,
peace comes to life in the space where worry had been before.
(Philippians 4:4-7, Isaiah 26:3)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
you’ve been invited to cast your cares upon Another.
You’ve been invited to trade a heavy burden for an easy yoke.
You’ve been invited to let your Shepherd share your load.
You’re not carrying it alone.
(Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28-29)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
the throne room is always available to you.
And entering isn’t limited to spoken prayer.
Communion is a frame of mind.
(John 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:31)

There’s peace because, in Christ,
we have been invited into relationship with the Sovereign King
who alone is in control, and who works all things out for the good of those who love Him.
(Romans 5:2, Romans 8:28-29)

JOSH ROBERTS | PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Josh Roberts is FBC’s Production Director. His passion at FBC is to lead his team in developing dynamic, creative environments where God is magnified, where people meet with Him, and where The Gospel is communicated without distraction. He would tell you that although he loves the technical world, at the end of the day, Production ministry is all about loving people by helping them encounter our truly glorious God.  

When he’s not in the booth mixing audio, you can find him scouting out the best barbeque around, hiking, disc golfing, or drinking coffee with his wife.

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting example of “the domino effect” than COVID-19. It’s touched virtually every part of our lives, and yet we’re still learning more of its residual effects on a daily basis. Unemployment, labor shortage, shifting supply and demand, mass migrations to digital platforms and back, ever-evolving education policies, social mandates, vaccination discussions, ethical dilemmas, and political responses have each affected us at some level. And for many, the pandemic has left deeper marks - endangering or even taking the lives of loved ones. The cause-and-effect relationships formed by a pandemic are far more than biological - they’re personal, economical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.

There was a time when the collective lament, “When will things return to normal?” flavored most conversations. Since then, dynamics have changed on both organizational and personal levels. Restrictions have fluctuated. Some families have taken a collective sigh of relief as a degree of “normalcy” has been restored to them. Other families are still reeling from permanently altered careers, the loss of a loved one, or grief over how things “used to be”. Still others lie somewhere in between - relaxing into some pre-COVID rhythms and re-learning what it’s like to watch a movie in a theatre, while at the same time wrestling with a growing awareness that, for many reasons, our world is still very much not okay.

We’re humanly wired to find physiological equilibrium. Our bodies were designed to maintain consistent temperatures, blood pressures, and hydration levels. The term “homeostasis” borrows Greek root words meaning “similar to” + “standing still.” Essentially, in order to sustain life, we need biological consistency that’s sustained. When things are off-balance, we feel the effects.

Don’t we see this trend bleed into our spiritual lives as well? Our default practice is to find stability IN THE NORM, not out of it. When our lives are shaken up, our souls feel the effects. And we know deep down that we need to return to a posture of stability. Our hearts need to return to the places where they can stand still, calm and sure. Over the past two years, our world has been shaken. It’s easy to imagine the cumulative cry for “homeostasis” that’s risen up from every corner of the earth.

Here’s the breakdown. We think that our restored stability - that factor that will once again still our souls - will be carried by situational homeostasis:

“When the restrictions loosen, we can get on with our lives.” 

“When the vaccine achieves herd immunity, we can finally put this behind us.”

Or, 

“As long as we can somehow preserve medical autonomy, our kids will be ok.” 

“When the economy turns around, we can pick up where we left off.” 

“I’m just waiting for the day when mask mandates are a thing of the past.”

We long for every form of “normalcy” to be restored, each one loudly advertising to us the return of comfortable routines, personal freedoms, and unhindered preferences. And while we would gladly slip into those luxuries of old, like a favorite sweater, we need to ask ourselves if we’re trusting in the return of “normalcy” more than we’re trusting in God to provide our deepest sense of stability.

God reminds us with:
His Word,
His flawless track record of faithfulness,
His indwelling Spirit,
The strong testimony of His church,
And His steadfast promises,
that He is singularly able to place His hands on our lives and restore stillness and peace to our shaken souls, regardless of our situation. He wants to be our stability both IN the “norm” and outside of it.

We need not place our wellbeing in the hands of circumstance instead of the Savior. 

In every moment of circumstantial chaos, we are offered the same possibility of steadfast, sustained stability of soul and spirit, no matter whether our situation looks seemingly “normal” or nowhere near it. Why? Because we don’t need homeostatic circumstances to thrive as believers. We need - and we have - an unchanging God.

How do we access that stability on a daily basis? We’re so grateful for this application from Pastor Blodgett’s message on Psalm 46:

As you evaluate where you are seeking stability in this season, our prayer is that these passages and lyrics draw your spiritual vision to the true refuge of our souls:

“Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
And seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well, with me”

“It Is Well”, Bethel Music

“Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.”

Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)

"God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable],
A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas,
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains tremble at its roaring.
Selah.”

Psalm 46:1-3 (AMP) 

“Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there is no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock is cut off from the fold
And there are no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;
I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].”

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (AMP)

For added reminders of the stability God has offered us in Himself, we’ve created a Spotify playlist surrounding this truth. We pray it is a blessing to you.