Help #1—Holy Help

“Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help! Y’know I need someone to HELP!” “The salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh. He is their strength in time of trouble, and he helps them, and delivers them … from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.” “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” In the next few weeks, we will consider texts that convey more promises of the helpful grace the Lord offers to supply us in our time of need.

Moses said, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation Yahweh will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. Yahweh will fight for you while you keep silent.” Exodus 14:13–14

Sometimes, as we follow the Lord, he leads us into impossible situations. God didn’t part the Red Sea because Israel made a wrong turn on the way to Canaan, and it was easier to part the water than to turn that mob around and head them in the right direction. They were stuck because they followed the fiery pillar and obeyed God’s command through Moses. They were stuck because God had not finished teaching them about how thorough he was in his salvation. They were stuck because they needed another dose of God’s glorious power before they headed to the holy mountain to become a nation. They were stuck because they needed to learn to replace their peevish profanity with patient prayer. It’s all about worshiping the Worthy One. When Israel left Egypt, they left to worship Yahweh, the holy one of Israel, the one whose name promised that as he had been their ancestors’ deity, so he would continue to be theirs. But they did not know him well enough to worship appropriately. Therefore, God, in his grace, put them in a desperate situation so they could learn how worthy he is to be worshiped. They needed to learn a passionate appreciation for his supremacy in all things. So do we. Helping the helpless is how he produces it.

Who is like you among the gods, Lord Jesus? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises? Open my eyes to the display of your glory through my helplessness.