The Help From The Lord

Good day people. How are you doing? My week has been FANTASTIC! The Lord proved Himself as my Helper, Provider, Standby, Protector, Healer, Health, Strengthener and much more. I guess you realise that there had to be challenges for me to realise that He is all these and more to me, right?

As usual, those that I thought I could count on showed their humanness. There is the natural tendency to harbour bitterness against these loved ones. I really wish I could claim that I quickly said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do". Well, I did not. Instead, I let them know how hurt I felt. You can guess how helpful that has been, lol.

As I lay on my bed reporting them all to God, I gently heard the Holy Spirit pointing out to me how God used others to help; people that I would not have expected anything from. He also pointed out to me how the situations brought about improvements in some other relationships. He whispered to me how my faith and confidence in the Lord have grown through these experiences. He reminded me not to put my trust in the arm of flesh because they will fail at one time or the other.

I decided to search for Biblical examples of how God helped those that called out to Him. I found out that most often than not, God's help usually comes through other people, though in some cases, He doesn't use a human medium. I'll share some of my findings and encourage you to search by yourself.

The people of Israel cried out to the Lord when they were afflicted in the land of Egypt. God sent them help in form of a prophet called Moses. I would have expected God to just strike down Pharaoh one day like that and maybe all the taskmasters would have been paralyzed, or something dramatic like that. Instead, God sent a stammering prophet to lead His people out. Also, in spite of the initial exodus from Egypt, the oppressor still came after the Israelites. We know that when God finished with Pharaoh and those that followed him to pursue Israel, Egypt no longer looked for Israelite "slaves" again. That victory was decisive; end of discussion! That is a whole sermon on its own.

Then I stumbled on Deut 15:7-9. I think it's worth sharing...
"When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don’t count the cost. Don’t listen to that selfish voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin."

Ouch! So, refusing to help when you can is a blatant sin? That's something to keep in mind when next someone comes asking for help...

You also need the Holy Spirit to guide you on who to help and how to go about it. The priest that helped David when he was fleeing from Saul paid for the 'help' with his life. David was trying to help his friend fight a battle, so he and his mighty men left their homes in Ziklag unattended to. The enemies took advantage of the absence of the men to ransack the city.

When asking for help from human beings, understand that if the Lord does not help you, no man can help you.

May the Lord send you help from the sanctuary. May the name of the God of Jacob defend you. Amen

Have a blessed and productive day.