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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. 

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