For some reason, I’m not able to sleep tonight. I watched 2:30 roll around. Then 3:00. Then 3:40, and finally I just decided sleep wasn’t going to come right now. So I’m writing what’s on my heart.
That’s all I ever want to do on this blog. Maybe I’m too honest. Maybe some don’t like what I say. Maybe things are taken the wrong way. But above all, I want God to use my story. It is not great. Boring to some, maybe. Too dramatic for others. My journey is sometimes hard to me, maybe only me, but it is my journey still. I am not perfect, I am flawed. My flesh sometimes wins the battle over what I know I should do. My desire is to obey God though; to follow Him. Hopefully I can look back one day and see how God worked it out beautifully, despite my mistakes and whining and bad attitude. Right now I can’t see, so I will just continue writing. And praying that God will use the words to touch someone. Just maybe.
So many tragedies happening everywhere. More shootings. Accidents that take a young teenager’s life. A 12 year old who took their own life for reasons maybe no one understands. Parents who’ve lost babies because they just stopped breathing. And sometimes I think my life is hard….
As I look back over the past year, it’s remarkable to me how I made it. There were many times I didn’t think I would. So much happened, so much stress, so many worries. And coming up on 2 years of no answers and seemingly unending days of no answers left me in a place of needing help. There’s only so much your friends can do for you. Only so far your family can take you. Only so many ways you can pray. Until you end up uttering the same prayer over and over because your heart and mind can no longer find any other words to pray. “Help me, Lord. Help me, please.” You don’t know what you need or how to pray for it, you only know you need help.
But oh what a help is found in Jesus! If I’ve learned anything, it’s that He alone can help.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.Psalm 46:1-3
As I was praying that prayer, God brought this all too familiar passage to mind. And I began to think about ‘a very present help.’
God is our refuge and strength, a VERY PRESENT HELP in trouble. According to strong’s concordance:
Very- vehemently, speedily, diligently, esp exceedingly far, fast, good, great.
Present-to come forth to, that is appear, exist, to attain, to meet or be present, cause to come on to, BE ENOUGH, GET HOLD UPON.
Help-aid.
God could have just said He was our help. But He is a very present help. An immediate help. Our outcome or healing or answer may be delayed and we have to wait for Him to move. But his help is always immediate. He is vehemently speedily beside us, holding onto us, helping us through. -He has hold upon us.- His grip is sure and strong. There is no falling or being ripped from His grasp.
And His help is just a breath away. A prayer that doesn’t have to be spoken, but can be answered because He sees our heart. He hears our plea for help, even when the words fail us.
My favorite line of this song is “The fear will never outweigh how good You are to me…’ Fear that God will never change your circumstance can be crippling. Fear of what tomorrow, or the next minute, holds can be terrifying. Fear can take over your whole world very easily. But no matter how very great the fear, it will never EVER be greater than God’s goodness. And that should be enough to calm our every fear. Someone said after hearing the song that I wrote that it sounded just like a prayer from the deepest part of my heart. That’s exactly what is was.
Do you need help today? Whether it’s a prayer for help to fall asleep, a prayer that you’ll make it through another Monday, or a prayer for some pain that’s too deep for words- God is there. An ever present help. All is well, all because He is my help!
My Help
Though waters roar, though mountains shake that’s not enough to change my faith. My whole world may be destroyed, but I won’t let that steal my joy. The ruler of it all, keeps me standing tall.
My refuge and strength, my shelter in the storm. I cast it all on you and find comfort in your arms. My praise will reach your throne, while I’m waiting on my knees. The fear will never outweigh how good you are to me. All is well, all because you are my help.
I lift my eyes in troubled times, with each new day I always find-mercy sweet, a resting place, the deepest love, amazing grace. He’s promised to be near, so I will stay right here.
My refuge and strength, my shelter in the storm. I cast it all on you and find comfort in your arms. My praise will reach your throne, while I’m waiting on my knees. The fear will never outweigh how good you are to me. All is well, all because you are my help.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AabhFrgtU_w
Words & Music ©Faith York 2017
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