My Helper
“Let your
conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you
have, for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake
you.’ So we may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6)
The pastor has an interesting view
of the congregation. Those in the pews see the sides and backs of heads
and typically don’t see the faces of those in attendance. The pastor
sees the faces, and He sometimes sees the hearts. From the vantage
point of the pulpit, it’s a puzzle – how can those who have been given
much, LOOK like they have received so little? What are those
ever-deepening lines of worry in the faces of God’s people? Why is fear
on those faces? Where is the joy?
The answer is that most of those who
have been given –everything– don’t have any idea what (Who) actually has
been done for them. They know about the help given in Christ Jesus, but
worry is a habit. Joy is letting go of that worry and trusting in Him.
Years ago, I was given several half
dollar pieces by my grandfather. He and I never really got acquainted,
because all my life we were separated by a continent. Yet, in the three
times we met, I became interested in this articulate but soft spoken
man. So the half dollars were special. They represented a relationship
that might have been, if the continent had not been there. I kept them
“safe” in a jewelry box.
One day, a young girl was in the
house, visiting one of our children. When she left, the half dollars
went with her. I had kept that which my grandfather had entrusted to
me, but not well enough. The jewelry box turned out to NOT be secure
and they were gone.
Such it is with most that we have in
this life. I hope this is not a surprise to you, but goods are lost,
and so are reputations, along with jobs, money, health, for all that we
have is beyond our ability to protect it. When the thief comes, we need
help. Our most commendable efforts can be futile – we need to find out
what “treasure” really is, and then have it guarded by Someone who can
do the job. He is our Treasure.
Ask any homeless person. You might
dismiss them all as “mentally ill”, or “lazy”, or have some other reason
to feel contempt for such people, but you should think again. The job
of your dreams can be lost. A few failed job interviews, some payments
missed, your spouse leaves, and discouragement settles in. Suddenly
everything’s gone, and all you have is the bag on your shoulder. And
then some bigger guy comes by and takes even that! What happened?
Well, LIFE happened, and none of us are sufficient for what life can
sometimes bring.
Actually, Someone IS sufficient, and
He has appointed Himself as your Helper and mine. No matter WHAT
happens to us, He will see you through. You wonder, why is God referred
to as MY Helper? Shouldn’t I be helping HIM and not the other way
around? Good question, but think about it for a moment.
What can you really do for Him?
Really - nothing! What can HE do for you? Everything! He has no
problems with the aging process or downturns in the job market, and He
can do all things for you and me. What He does lasts forever! That
which you entrust to Him is SAFE, and NOTHING can steal you away from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus! Nothing!
Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius
bitterly persecuted the followers of Jesus Christ, and he personally
decreed the punishment of forty of his soldiers who refused to bow down
to his statue. He shouted the word “Strip”
at them, and they did. “Now, go and stand on
that frozen lake, until you are prepared to abandon your Nazarene God!”
Forty naked men marched out, and as they took their places on the ice,
they sang: “Christ, forty wrestlers have come
out to wrestle for Thee; to win for Thee the victory; to win from Thee
the crown.”
Some time passed, and then one man
broke into a run, entered the temple at the edge of the frozen lake and
prostrated himself before the image of the Emperor. The Captain of the
Roman Guard, who had seen the bravery of the men and had been touched by
their teaching, tore off his helmet, threw down his spear and disrobing
himself, took the place of the man who had weakened. As the dawn broke,
there were forty corpses on the ice.
There are a number of Scriptures
that are intensely personal for me, and one of them is Hebrews 12:2,
where it is said that Jesus is the “author and
finisher of our faith.” Isn’t HE supposed to do the “grace”
and aren’t we supposed to provide the faith? Actually, He does it all.
He is the Pilot, you are the passenger. You are entrusted to Him, kept
safe in His heart and love. No thief can remove you from His care.
If anyone could have ever fallen
away from His love, it would have been me. Years ago, I attempted to
throw Him away, and He would not go! I tried so hard to go my own way,
and seemed to do quite well for awhile, but then life brought me to my
knees, and at last, I saw my need of Him.
And there He was, patiently waiting
for me,
after all that running. I had invited the thief into my life, as many
do, acting the fool in a variety of ways. But finally, we recognize 1)
our need, 2) His abilities, and 3) His willingness to help. He CAN do
the job for you and He WANTS bring you through.
Every one of those Roman soldiers is
with Him right now. Most of the men were married and many had
children. They all had strong bodies, careers and hope for a future in
this world. Those things can be good, but that which is really
IMPORTANT is found in Christ Jesus. They lost their lives here, but
found real LIFE in Him.
Father, we trust in You now. Help
us, Lord, to put aside our sorrow; understanding that You will bring us
through. Let us be content with what we have and understand that we are
always safe because of You. We praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus Name.
Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
