WONDERS OF DIVINE HELP

“God is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT HELP in trouble” – Psalm 46:1

GOD’S WORD speaks richly about the WONDERS of DIVINE HELP: “God is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT HELP in trouble” (Psa.46:1). The Almighty God, our Great Helper, has promised to help His people in any critical situation. Divine Help from the Almighty God Himself, comes when our own effort cannot produce commensurate results, as in Peter’s case (Lk.5:1-10). Having toiled all night and catching nothing, when Divine Help manifested, abundance and plenty followed. God will arise to help His own or whoever calls upon Him!

Everyone needs Divine Help to fulfil life’s journey. But we must look unto God as our present help in times of need. It could be a need for: divine direction (spiritual), divine protection (physical), or divine provision (material and financial). We need help because we cannot make it on our own. Our Lord Jesus says: “I am the Vine, you are the branches…for without Me you can do nothing” (Jh.15:5). The Most High God is our Helper: He who cannot fail! He is able to send help in any way or form. He knows how to help us much better than we can imagine.

We can examine the Wonders of Divine Help from three main perspectives: The Superiority, Necessity, and Availability of Dive Help.

Superiority of Divine Help: The Help of God is one of our greatest assets; critical to our welfare, and ensuring that we are not vulnerable to any negative forces. His Help is superior to the help of any man or system. God is our most available, durable, reliable, comfortable, and knowledgeable Help (vv.1-2). Human beings and systems fail or change, but God is the totally dependable, Unchanging Changer (Mal.3:6). Men who have helped may get discouraged, and stop, but God’s Help is undying. Men may not be there for us when we need their help, but God is always present whenever we need help. God is affluent and comfortable enough to help without inconveniencing Himself. Some people want to help but are confused, not knowing what to do and how, but God always knows what to do, when and how (Jh.6:6; 1Tim.1:17).

Necessity for Divine Help: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it: unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psa.127:1). Human labour is in vain without God’s Help. We don’t have enduring strength of our own; hence we need His. Knowing the secret of Divine Help, we will cease from hardship, struggle and vain labour. Some people have very little to show for their backbreaking struggles. Whereas, every great person in God’s Kingdom is made by His Help. Some people have better qualifications than we do, yet lack what we have: the opportunities and favours we enjoy. God’s Help is the Maker of Men! Every man who boasts of being self-made, will soon become a self-destroyed man, like the rich fool who made no reference to God (Lk.12:16-21). It was all “I” and nothing more.

Availability of Divine Help: God is always willing and ready to help those who trust Him and ask Him for Help in all areas of needs and at all times. Divine Help is always available for: Victory in life’s battles, even in the face of imminent defeat (1Sam. 7:9-12); Deliverance from valleys of death, where others have been swallowed or died under similar circumstances (1Chr.15:26); Strength for success and progress in life (1Kgs.18:46; Dan.11:32; 2Chr.26:5,15); Escape from reproach and shame (Isa.50:7-9); stability and continuity in the face of difficulty and challenges of life (Acts 26:22). God’s Help enables progress despite resistance; and survival of adverse times and stormy seasons.

No one can amount to anything worthwhile in life without God’s Help. We must never forget or forsake our Maker (Dt.32:15). We must remain steadfast in prayer from a heart of faith (Heb.4:16); trust only in Him (Pro.3:5-8); and cultivate the attitude of gratitude (1Sam.7:12; 1Chr.15:26). Realising that we need Divine Help, let’s ask God for it. Though it may not come in the form that we expected, we must never turn our back on God, our Divine Helper!