Christians sometimes fall into the trap that God got things started on our behalf and then turned over the reins for us to carry it forth on our own from that point forward. Occasionally we live as if the outcome of our earthly endeavors rested squarely upon our own shoulders, and believe that we had better turn it up a notch or two if there is going to be a secured outcome. We live in the world of “more” and “enough” and this flavors a lot of what we do and think. Let me give some examples:
- If only I had more time…
- If only more people were in my corner…
- If only I were more pretty, more wealthy, more successful…
- I’m never going to be good enough for…
- I’m not dedicated enough…
- I don’t love enough or pray enough or serve enough…
- I’m just not faithful enough to God…
Your personal list might be different, but the tune is the same for all of us when we fall into this trap. We really believe that our “more’s” and “enough’s” are the only keys to experiencing victory, fulfillment and/or glory for God. Listen to what the Psalmist said,
“Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.” – Psalm 119:173
The boldness of the Psalmist’s expectation involved just a few things. He declared to God that he was following God’s revealed truth (I have chosen Your precepts). This indicates that the Psalmist’s heart had been brought low and that there was a time when he purposefully chose to submit to the wisdom of God and abandon reliance on his own ingenuity or ability. He once knew how desperately he needed God and this led to him exchanging trusting himself for trusting his God. I love that the result of this choice to trust God’s word and ways resulted in the Psalmist’s boldness to fully expect God to help him as he followed his Lord. What he wrote almost carries the scent of the Psalmist reminding God that he really needed Him and not in some misty, theological manner. He told God that he needed Him to ready His mighty hand because some divine assistance was going to be required. Get ready, Lord, this one is going to be a big one! In essence, the Psalmist wrote that he would be in over his head at some point and that he had full confidence that God’s hand would be ready to move when needed. He assuredly asserted both his own need for assistance and his confidence that God would be ready.
Have you reminded yourself of that recently? Have you been bold to say to God that you were exchanging your self-reliance for Savior-reliance? Is it possible that you have spent too much time trying to figure out what needs to be done, how to make it happen and what to do with the results instead of looking upward as a helpless child to your mighty Father and saying, “I need Your help. I need it soon. Let Your hand be ready, Lord.” Grace teaches us that God delights in coming to our rescue. In fact, I’m becoming more convinced that this sense of rescue characterizes the whole of God’s work on our behalf. Rescue from sin. Rescue from guilt. Rescue from judgment. Rescue from trouble (even trouble we create ourselves!). Rescue from shame. Rescue from self…and, eventually, rescue from this world and into the unspeakably glorious world to come. Why do we so hesitantly approach Him with our need for Him to help us? That’s one of His cherished activities on your behalf! Don’t forget that in the midst of your confusion, cluelessness, weariness and frustration. God helps, and not begrudgingly. He would help much more if we only asked.
So I’m going to spend some time this morning agreeing with the Psalmist that I need His hand to be ready. I need His hand to mold my mind and heart. I need His hand to protect me and my family. His hand is ready to provide all that I need and, likely, some of what I desire beyond that need. His hand anoints and directs and beckons and buoys. His hand smacks down demons and forbids human enemies. The Almighty hand of God applies pinpoint balm to the open wounds of our hearts as He works healing in the deepest sense. That hand…that glorious hand…that omnipotent hand that fashioned all in existence…that same hand wipes away our tears (Revelation 21:4) for all of eternity.
Right now that hand is reaching for you. Right where you are. Expect it. Believe it. Take it.
I sure am glad I got over and read your blogs this morning. That hand is the hand of the God-Man I so need every second of my life for all things.