Very Present Help

Have you ever felt like God wasn't there when you needed Him?  It is not true, of course, but our feelings may still go that direction.  Psalm 46:1 declares that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

However, many times we don't realize the next step depends upon us.  Let examine this truth in a couple of Scriptures.  In Exodus 3 Moses saw a burning bush and decided to "turn aside and see this great sight."  The next verse states, "when God saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush."  God waited to see if Moses chose to respond before communicating with him.

A similar characteristic of God appeared in Mark 6 when the disciples were in the middle of a storm on the sea of Galilee.  Mark 6:48 states that Jesus "saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking of the sea, and He would have passed them by."  Clearly Jesus was aware of their struggle and came out on the sea, but notice that He would have passed them by.  It was only when they cried out to Him that He intervened by calming the storm and getting them safely to the other side.

One more example is after the resurrection when Jesus approached the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, and amazed them by opening the Scriptures about the Messiah.  Luke 24:28-29 explains "Then they drew near to the village where they were gong, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, 'Abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.' And He went in to stay with them."  He would have continued on if they had not asked Him to stay with them. 

The point of these Scriptures is this, just as Isaiah 30:18 points out, God waits to be gracious to us.  He is a very present help in trouble, but He won't intervene unless we call on Him.  God desires us to ask, seek, and knock.  He delights in showing mercy.  Yet He waits for us to ask, to invite Him in, because God honors man's authority and freedom.    

Psalm 115:16 states this amazing truth.  "The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; but the earth He has given to the children of men."  God's plan and purpose for man was to have dominion and rule the earth.  Even though Adam and Eve sold out to the devil and fell into disobedience, the man Jesus defeated the devil and completely paid the price for sin. thus restoring all authority back into the hands of man. God respects our authority and won't do things without our permission.  

We overcome through faith in what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.  1 John 5:1-5 declares whatever is born of God overcomes the world, through our faith.   All of Jesus' power and help are available, since we are joint-heirs of the inheritance Jesus earned through His death and resurrection.  God commands us to pray always, to ask in faith, and He will respond.  So even though Jesus is with us in every situation, He waits for us to turn to Him and call for His help.  The Lord is always with us, but we need to deliberately have an attitude like David, "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken." Then we will realize His very present help and not be shaken.  

Realize that this very present help is as close as a simple prayer.  "Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being here with me right now in what I am going through.  I call on You, Lord Jesus, to be that very present help to deliver me and cause me to overcome.  I trust Your mercy and praise You for your faithfulness and goodness to rescue me.  In the name of Jesus, let it be so. "