HELP ME, GOD!

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord.- PSALM 77:1-2A

“Oh, God, help me. I need you. Please help me!” Seldom does a day go by that I don’t utter all or a combination of those words. Often I’m calling out to be saved from a distressing situation as a result of my focus falling from God and onto my own strength.

That’s when today’s verses become all too relevant. Reading through the Psalmist’s words feels like an excerpt from my diary has been stolen and is being shared with the world. Where my stress, desperation and struggles have been splashed across a stage before a captive audience.

I’m so glad that Asaph, the author of Psalm 77, wrote what he did. He was humble enough to admit his failures and challenges openly, laying his soul bare before the one who’s in the business of rescuing: the Lord God almighty.

At the height of Asaph’s troubles, much like myself, he begins to wonder if God will help him out of the misery he finds himself in. In his dire situation, as much as Asaph calls out for relief, it doesn’t seem to come, or not as quickly as he wants. Also like me!

So, Asaph sinks deeper into despair, maybe believing that what has taken place is where he belongs and what he deserves. But then, quite suddenly, he pauses and has a thought (Psalm 77:7-12).

The psalmist then changes course and decides to focus on the faithfulness of his God. He remembers that no matter what was happening in those desperate moments, he has had times like that before and it was the Lord who brought him through.

Asaph’s reflection expands in the rest of the Psalm to give glory to his holy Redeemer, declaring the saving power of the Almighty. Through remembering, Asaph was being restored in the truth that as God had been faithful before, he would be faithful again. And so was I restored in remembering God’s faithfulness within my own life.

Life’s demands and distractions can cause us to make a mountain out of a molehill when all we need to do is pause and think on the ways God has been faithful throughout our journey with him.

Once we take our eyes off of our circumstances and surrender them to the Lord, we too will be saved time and again by the most high God who performs great deeds and miracles in our lives. Don’t be afraid to cry out for his help.

Heavenly Father, sometimes I think you get tired of me asking for your help. Then I realize, that’s how my relationship with you is supposed to be. When I get overwhelmed with a problem, help me to remember times past when you always showed yourself faithful in rescuing me. Thank you for being my everything. I love you! In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Throughout This Day: Be present in remembering how God has been faithful in helping you through a crisis. Be specific in the details while verbalizing your praise and thanksgiving for his aid.

A Guidebook for Life

Are you seeking—and sharing—wisdom from the Lord?

1 Kings 2:1-9

Suppose the wisest person you know left you with a manual for living—what words of wisdom do you think it would contain? The pages would probably be crammed with encouragement, advice for challenges, and instructions for moments when you don’t know what to do. The manual would likely be very personal and unique to the life its author lived, not a bland book filled with vague platitudes. And you’d probably cling closely to its words. 

That’s similar to what King David did for his son. Nearing death, David encouraged Solomon to obey God, and he also left instructions concerning his enemies and allies. Solomon listened to his father and thereby secured his kingdom. Though Israel’s second king wasn’t perfect, he loved the Lord and was humble enough to ask for help in leading His people (1 Kings 3:3; 1 Kings 3:9).

We, too, can make good use of people’s hard-won advice. More importantly, however, God’s Word provides dependable guidance through its statutes, commandments, ordinances, and testimonies. Now and then we’ll undoubtedly find ourselves in weighty situations where the next step is unclear. Whenever that happens, we cherish the wisdom we’ve gleaned from others. But even more valuable is time spent with the Lord, seeking His will and direction.

He Was Made Sin

He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Leviticus 1:4

Our Lord’s being “made . . . sin”¹ for us is pictured here by the very significant transfer of sin to the bullock, which was done by the elders of the people. The laying of the hand was not a mere touch of contact, for in some other places of Scripture the original word has the meaning of leaning heavily, as in the expression, “Your wrath lies heavy upon me” (Psalm 88:7).

Surely this is the very essence and nature of faith, which not only brings us into contact with the great Substitute, but also teaches us to lean upon Him with all the burden of our guilt. Jehovah made all the offenses of His covenant people rest upon the Substitute, and each one of the chosen is brought personally to confirm this solemn covenant act, when by grace he is enabled by faith to lay his hand upon the head of the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world.

Believer, do you remember that wonderful day when you first realized pardon through Jesus the sin-bearer? Can you make a glad confession and join with the writer in saying, “My soul recalls the day of deliverance with delight. Burdened with guilt and full of fears, I saw my Savior as my Substitute, and I laid my hand upon Him—timidly at first, but courage grew and confidence was confirmed until I leaned my soul entirely upon Him. And now it is my unceasing joy to know that my sins are no longer imputed to me but are laid on Him. Like the debts of the wounded traveler, Jesus, like the good Samaritan, has said of all my future sinfulness, ‘Set that to My account.'”

Blessed discovery! Eternal solace of a grateful heart!

My numerous sins transferr’d to Him,
Shall never more be found,
Lost in His blood’s atoning stream,
Where every crime is drown’d!

¹⁾ 2 Corinthians 5:21