PRAY EVERY DAY - Day 6: Pastor Paul Looney
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“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
What do you do when you feel helpless? Helplessness can soon turn to hopelessness if we don’t know where to turn. As steady and solid as the mountains are, the Psalmist realized he needed someone to turn to who could provide help, the One who made the mountains. We all experience situations in life that stretch our resources and abilities to the max, and we need help. Where does your help come from? God allows those circumstances in our lives that require us to turn to Him for the help we need. When Jesus told His disciples to feed the five thousand on the hillside one day, they discovered that their extremities were God’s opportunities! The same is true of you and me today. When we face impossible situations beyond our ability or resources, we have a choice to make. We can crater under the pressure, feeling helpless and hopeless, or we can do what the Psalmist did and experience God’s help. We can cry out to the Maker of heaven and earth to make a way for us. He is the Way Maker!
This Psalm assures us of God’s help in three very practical ways:
1. His power is illimitable! (Vs. 1-2)
Why look up to the mountains for your help when you can look up to the One who made heaven and earth? The help God offers is supernatural! Quit looking at only that which is natural when you need supernatural help. We often turn to everyone and everything but God when God is all we need. He may just be waiting for you to come to the end of your own strength, wisdom, or resources so that you can experience His illimitable power and provision! When we open our hearts to God, we can relax with the confidence that everything is going to be all right.
2. His presence is available! (Vs. 3-4)
In verses three and four, the Psalmist says, “He (God) will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” 24/7, round the clock, God is always available! He’s never too busy or too tired to be there for you! He promised never to leave you or forsake you. Jesus said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (NLT) His presence is available to the boy, girl, man, or woman who is available to Him! Avail yourself today in the presence of God through faith and prayer. Thank Him for being with you rather than asking Him to be with you. That’s faith. That’s practicing the presence of God. When God does what only God can do in your life, people will know there is a presence greater than your own at work!
3. His protection is invariable (Vs. 5-8)
The Bible teaches us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes! James 1:17 (KJV) says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” The Psalmist found help in God’s unchanging protection. He said, “The LORD Himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121:5-8 (NLT)
Where do you look for help when you’re hurting? When we’re suffering, we want to close off our hearts to God and others because we’re afraid of being hurt again. But if we open our hearts and our eyes of faith to the Maker of heaven and earth, we’ll start to see that help is on the way, and God’s love is all around us. Spend a few minutes to reflect on Psalm 121 today and claim the promises of God’s power, God’s presence, and God’s protection in your life.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.