Helper
“Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be my helper.” Psalm 30:10
Helper – “God, help me!” These words are the summary of the Gospel. Reflect just a moment on what they really say.
- I admit I am in trouble
- I recognize that some other person must come to my aid
- I acknowledge my deficiency
- I proclaim the very personal nature of my request
- I ask in humility
- I expect an answer
- I hope in God
“God, help me!” looks at the true character of my existence. Life is designed to bring me to this conclusion: without God I fail. The longer I resist this inevitable fact, the greater my need will become. In this world, there is no such thing as independence. Independence is a myth of a fallen mind. The real truth about this world is “help me”. And there is no shame is living the truth.
Azar is the Hebrew word for “help”. It is most often used to describe military help, quite frequently as God’s assistance in battle. God’s help wins the day. If you’re going to fight, you better have the Lord on your side. David knew all about God’s military help. But there is another aspect of this word that we need to see. In the Psalms, God’s help is particularly given to some special people. They are the oppressed, the poor, the fatherless, the distressed, the ill, and the righteous. God has a special place in His heart for these people. No wonder we see Jesus pouring compassion on the same people. Jesus is simply reflecting what’s on God’s heart.
That should give us pause. We live in a culture that antiseptically removes the very people that God favors. When we push these people out of sight, are we pushing away God’s heart direction? I am reminded of that little phrase, “the least of these”. Here’s the punch line: How can I expect God to come to my aid if I am not coming to the aid of those He calls His special needs people? Is my personal cry really just another shout of disguised independence, thinking that God should help me but I am not obligated to help them?
The truth of the world is not only my dependence but also my common identity. It is not only “God, help me!” It is also, “God, help us!” A community of those in need.
Who will you help today?
