A very present help
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Isaiah 43:1-3
Being human, we tend to fail each other because each has his or her own weaknesses and periods of miseries. There are moments that when problems arise, we look for comfort and encouragement to friends and family. But we get disappointed when we do not get what we want from them. Just as others are coming to us during difficulties, there are times that we fail them for many reasons. Our failures might have to do with fixed plans and to help meant distractions, or could it be the feeling of inadequacy, or just simply a subconscious decision that we do not want to be of help. It could be exacting consequence for the person to be helped has made a disastrous mistake and because they think that the act was sinful, they refuse to be associated with such a recklessness sinner. Even if the person already came to God for repentance yet people at times have a tendency to refuse to overlook someone else’s wrongdoing. Such tendencies lead to a refusal to provide emotional support. It is true that trials are often beyond our control or even our means. But often times, it is just plain self-centeredness that is why we fail each other. We feel that we already have our own problems to deal with and so we conclude that we are of no help to others. So who can we turn to when we cannot count on others to help us? From our text, the people of God was given an assurance that they can always turn to God for help. God does provide a source of comfort, strength, and provision that no human being can provide. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16). The Holy Spirit is there to provide believers strength and constant companion. You are never by yourself even if everyone else may have abandoned or ignored you. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). God will never forsake His children. “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure” (Psalm 16:5).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
YouTube channel: WestsideBCLA
