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Where does your help come from? Why are we so surprise when trials come, when disappointments mount, when unfortunate events snowball? Why are we caught off guard when health gives way, when friends betray? Psalm 34:19 and John 16: 33 The Psalmist proclaimed that the Lord delivers the righteous from inevitable afflictions. And Jesus reminded us that He has overcome the world. Where Does Your Help Come From? "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;…where shall my help come?" Psalm 121:1 (NASB) Where does your help come from? When crisis strikes, adversity hits, or sorrow overshadows you, where do you go for help? How we answer this question truly reflects the depth of our belief that God is watching and waiting to come to our aid. I will be the first to admit that there are times when I struggle to look to the right source for my help. Recently I have been studying the Psalms. Before I took an in-depth look at Psalm 121, I did not understand what the writer was seeing as he wrote this plea for help. The terrain surrounding him was mountainous. I've learned it was common for those walking by to look up in this mountainous landscape and see pagan worshippers worshiping their false gods on the mountaintops. When people had fears or needed a spell to ward off an evil spirit, they went to the mountaintops seeking help from the false gods, and pagan priests or priestesses. After learning of these practices, I listened to the Psalmist's cry with a different ear. He knew what help was held in the mountains surrounding him. He looked up and saw many receiving false help from false gods, and he cried out," I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?" Can you hear his plea? This is very much similar to Thai culture and religion. As I travel around Thailand, almost every mountain I’ve passed through along the road, carries 2 or more huge gods where Thai people worship and trust for help. Where does your help come from? What false help awaits you on the mountaintop of your horizon? In our day, there may not be a Baal, a sun priest, or a moon priestess on our mountains, but we turn to other sources of false help. Women all over the globe accept false hope from powerful media influences. Whether it is from a magazine purchased in the grocery checkout line, a book from the self-help aisle, or a popular channel on the television, we can see false help. The next verse from the Psalmist's pen is a declaration that I challenge us both to make. As women of faith, let's turn off the false help of powerful media influences and declare with the Psalmist, "My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth." This declaration will no doubt make the enemy of our world angry. He wants to keep our attention focused on the false help we have grown accustomed to receiving. He wants to keep us from the real, authentic, and loving help that comes from trusting the Maker of heaven and earth. Will you accept the challenge? Instead of choosing a familiar channel on the remote control, take the time you would normally spend watching television and find a quiet place to talk to the One who offers real help for the problems you may be facing. Pick up your Bible and read about God's perfect plan for your life, a plan to give you a hope and a future. Real help from a real God awaits you. Why do we Trust the Lord? 1. His Resume of Experiences a. He is the Lord. v. 1b Many people followed Him. The ancestors of Israel has experienced His deliverance like Moses, Gideon, and many others in the Old Testament History. b. He made the Heavens and the Earth v. 2b If He made the heavens and the earth, then He is far better than the mountain that he had made. 2. His Ability and Strength vv. 3 - 4 a. He is never gets tired. He is not human. He is God. b. He cares 24 hours a day. He never sleeps like some of that are already sleepy right now. c. He guards without off duty. A security guard will always be relieved from its post every day. One person will be on guard during the day and another during the night. So there must be a record of events of the day so that the next guard on duty will be aware of his activities to continue the job. But the Lord never gets relief. He continues the job of securing you and me. 3. Our Assurance and Security vv. 5 – 8 a. He is right beside us, we’ll never be alone. v. 5 He is not standing at the gate or sitting at the guard house. He is right beside you. b. All kinds of evil will always be at a distant v. 7 The phrase “don’t be afraid” is mentioned in the Bible 365 times; that tells us that we can claim one everyday. He promised to keep us away from all kinds of evil. Can we believe that? Yes? Then, why are we afraid of economic crises (price increase)? c. He is there everywhere we go. v. 8 We often choose the place to live and work based on the security issue. Nobody wants to live near the Muslim village, maybe it’s dangerous. The most dangerous place to live is, in a place away from God’s presence. When we look up to the mountain for help, we reject the security that the Lord can offer. Where do you go for help? Where will your help comes from? For me, my help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth. Why do we trust the Lord? Because, our needs are too little compared to what he is able to do (He is the maker of heavens and the earth v.2). He has the only ability and strength needed to secure us (He never sleeps watching us 24 hours v.3). Our assurance was spelled out in His promises (He will keep us away from all of evil…both now and forever-v.7 - 8). Think about hard times in the past when God has delivered you. You know that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow-He is faithful, powerful, loving, and wise. Be ready to praise Him for the work of deliverance He has already begun. Dear Lord, forgive me for seeking false help from this world. I wait to seek You, my true source of help but I am afraid. Help me to overcome the fear and celebrate the future you want for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen. |
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