Skip to main content

Where Does My Help Come From?

             I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121)

 

          I like to look at mountains, but I’m not so sure I’d like them as well if I had to climb up through them on foot or even in a wagon. But while we may love the look of the mountains, when this psalm was written, they were not seen in the same light. For one thing, there were bandits and wild animals.  But more importantly, the mountains and hills were the sites of shrines to foreign gods.

          This means that when others lifted their eyes to the mountains, they were likely seeking help from any of several supposed gods. This was the way of the world at the time. Today, we don’t look to the natural mountains any more, we tend to look at the mountains of academia, science, government, and public opinion, and seek aid from those who live along their heights. Don’t get me wrong.  Those who live on those heights may be very helpful. It’s just that simply living on those heights does not make one helpful.

          But, when the psalmist looks for help, the heights and those who dwell on them aren’t the ones who respond. His help comes from the Lord - not someone who lives on the mountains, but the One who made them.

          Now, experience shows us that becoming a Christian and looking to God for help doesn’t mean that we never so much as stub a toe. Jesus told us we would have trials. He had trials. But while those of other faiths were required to go to their gods, Jehovah was willing to come to us and walk with us. He preserves and protects us through the trials, so that in the end, the trials can matter less than they would if we were on our own. He will not let them happen in His absence. He doesn’t get bored with us and fall asleep or wander off like the other gods supposedly did. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more