Where do we turn for help?

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills— from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:1-3

As we were approaching our next stop in Colorado, I was captivated by the Collegiate Mountain Range near Buena Vista. These mountains were towering over us as we motored down the mountain pass toward the next town. As I gazed at these majestic peaks, I was reminded of the Psalmist’s words that were uttered on his journey toward the mountains of Jerusalem where he would worship “the Lord Who made heaven and earth.”

Some people approach the mountains irrationally and worship what God made. Nature is the object of their worship (Romans 1:20-25). But the rational way to approach the mountains is to worship their Maker, Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). This is what the Psalmist did as he moved toward the mountains of Jerusalem.

The Psalmist’s question in verse 1 really grabbed my attention today. “From whence comes my help?” Where do we turn for help or assistance when we face challenges on our life’s journey? We may turn to our own power and ingenuity. Some of us may turn to our friends or family. Others may turn to their horoscope or to crystals which God forbids (Deuteronomy 17:2-5; 18:10-14; Isaiah 47:12-14). But all of these options have limitations.

What is the value of turning to the Lord for help?

1. He is Strong – “The Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (121:2). The God Who made the universe in six 24-hour days certainly has the ability to help me in my time of need. He never gets tired and He never faces a problem that is greater than Him.

2. He is Stable – “He will not allow your foot to be moved” (121:3a). God knows how easy it is for us to slip into sin or discouragement. His unchanging presence and promises give us stability during seasons of change and difficulty.

3. He never Sleeps – “He who keeps you will not slumber” (121:3b).God never falls asleep on the job.He always has His eye upon you.

I am reminded of a time during WWII when the Germans were bombing London all night, every night. After one terrible attack, the people of London began to search through the rubble looking for the dead and the injured. After a while, everyone had been accounted for but one grandmother named Mrs. Smith. They searched everywhere for her and finally someone found her in her bedroom, asleep in her bed. They were shocked and asked her, “Mrs. Smith, how could you sleep with all those bombs dropping all around?” Her answer is precious. She said, “Well, the Bible says that ‘ He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.’ I decided there was no use in both of us staying up, so I just went to sleep and left it in the Lord’s hands.”

God is constantly awake to give us the stability and safety we need when we face dangers on our life’s journey. Stargazing and stones cannot give us what God can give. Our family and friends are not always there when we need them, but God is always available. Look to Him when you are in need of help. He is Someone you can always count on!