My Help Comes From the Lord

Scripture:

Psa. 121:0 ¶ A Song of Ascents.
Psa. 121:1     I lift up my eyes to the hills—
        from where will my help come?
Psa. 121:2     My help comes from the LORD,
        who made heaven and earth.
 
Psa. 121:3      ¶ He will not let your foot be moved;
        he who keeps you will not slumber.
Psa. 121:4     He who keeps Israel
        will neither slumber nor sleep.
 
Psa. 121:5      ¶ The LORD is your keeper;
        the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
Psa. 121:6     The sun shall not strike you by day,
        nor the moon by night.
 
Psa. 121:7      ¶ The LORD will keep you from all evil;
        he will keep your life.
Psa. 121:8     The LORD will keep
        your going out and your coming in
        from this time on and forevermore.

Observation:

The pagans had placed idols across the tops of the hills and it was in those places that they worshiped their gods.  The Psalmist knew that this was not where his help was to come from, but instead his help was to come from the one and only true God.  It is the God of all creation that has promised to walk with us day in and day out.  It is the God of all creation who will keep us on the right path for our lives.  It is the God of all creation who never sleeps and watches over you when you are weary and exhausted.  It is the Lord who is your protector both today, tomorrow and forever.

Application:

I can still hear the voice of my grandfather quoting this Psalm.  It was one of his favorite Scriptures and when he quoted it -- it wasn't just something that he had from memory.   This was something that he genuinely felt from the very depth of his being.  Grandpa's life wasn't easy.  He was always poor, pastoring very tiny little churches across the state of Nebraska.  Many of the churches he built with his own two hands.  My grandparents had a daughter with Downs-syndrome who was also additionally brain damaged at birth.  She never learned to speak and had to have care for her entire life.  Grandpa, together with Grandma, lovingly cared for her day in and day out and she lived far longer than anyone had ever predicted.  Daily Grandpa's help came from the Lord whom he had come to know and to love.  There was nothing more that he needed.

Jesus must be in first place in our lives.  He must be the very center, the focus of our very being.  Everything else becomes secondary in light of loving our Lord.  Don't look at the hills -- the familiar places where people look for affirmation -- look to Jesus.  Our eyes must ever be focused on him and when that happens he takes care of all the things we cannot see.  My help comes from the Lord!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for your great love.  Amen.