Help...because who couldn't use a little?
"O, Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone." - 2 Chronicles 14:11
It has been a full week since my last blog. We went on a mini-vacation this week. I really enjoy traveling and sight seeing, but there is no place like your own space. I went to pick up a few pizzas before our college group came over tonight and I thought to myself, "It's so good to be home!"
Well, here's the deal, when I don't write every day I have a hard time deciding exactly what I want to write about. I have experienced so many things this week that I want to write about, and it makes it hard to narrow the list down. Maybe I'll feel better if I just mention each one and settle on a topic. Would that be okay? That way, I can get it off my chest. In bullet points, here are the top contenders:
1. The Duggar Family, weddings & marriage
2. A plethora of vacation experiences
3. Coming home...namely to Scout
I'm fairly certain I've written about #3 more than once, so there would be nothing new there. Maybe I'll carve out some time to blog the other 2 this week. Tonight, I'm going to settle in on God's word. The truth is, that's what I need to hear most about. Speak most about, too. Because it's easy for me to get distracted and to forget. It's easy for me to feel insecure and stop believing the truth. It's easy for me to become independent and think I can do it on my own. But the truth is, I need God's help.
"When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the Lord for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and the Israelite army." - 2 Chronicles 13:14-15
It seems too easy to just cry out for help, doesn't it? It's like there should be an extra step. Something more should be required of us, right? A simple distress call is all it takes? Really? I have a hard time believing that myself sometimes. Because I like to complicate it. And the truth is, I feel bad for letting it get to that point, you know. For letting myself get in to trouble. And so I don't really want to bother the Lord because, well, it's my own fault. I carry around that, "You got yourself into this, now get yourself out of it" mindset that doesn't work. On a regular basis, we don't knowingly get ourselves into trouble, do we? And if we really knew how to get out of it, would it be considered trouble? That's the thing about trouble. It's easy to get in to and difficult to get out of. Of course, Israel was a pro at getting into trouble, just like we are. But here, they find themselves getting ambushed. This wasn't necessarily a trouble they had gotten themselves into. It was still trouble none the less.
Well, to make things confusing, the people of Israel have separated and so King Jeroboam is leading Israel and King Abijah is leading Judah. God's people are fighting against themselves, but Judah is actually seeking the Lord. They are also outnumbered 2 to 1. Because they are trusting in God, they find victory. Not just once but twice. King Asa, their next leader, leads them to a victory over the Ethiopian army of 1 million (yes, you read that correctly) by calling on the Lord for help. In fact, the Lord defeated the army of Ethiopians in their very presence. Easy enough, right? Too easy.
"When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the Lord for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and the Israelite army." - 2 Chronicles 13:14-15
It seems too easy to just cry out for help, doesn't it? It's like there should be an extra step. Something more should be required of us, right? A simple distress call is all it takes? Really? I have a hard time believing that myself sometimes. Because I like to complicate it. And the truth is, I feel bad for letting it get to that point, you know. For letting myself get in to trouble. And so I don't really want to bother the Lord because, well, it's my own fault. I carry around that, "You got yourself into this, now get yourself out of it" mindset that doesn't work. On a regular basis, we don't knowingly get ourselves into trouble, do we? And if we really knew how to get out of it, would it be considered trouble? That's the thing about trouble. It's easy to get in to and difficult to get out of. Of course, Israel was a pro at getting into trouble, just like we are. But here, they find themselves getting ambushed. This wasn't necessarily a trouble they had gotten themselves into. It was still trouble none the less.
Well, to make things confusing, the people of Israel have separated and so King Jeroboam is leading Israel and King Abijah is leading Judah. God's people are fighting against themselves, but Judah is actually seeking the Lord. They are also outnumbered 2 to 1. Because they are trusting in God, they find victory. Not just once but twice. King Asa, their next leader, leads them to a victory over the Ethiopian army of 1 million (yes, you read that correctly) by calling on the Lord for help. In fact, the Lord defeated the army of Ethiopians in their very presence. Easy enough, right? Too easy.
"For a long time, Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without God's law. But whenever you were in distress and turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him out, you found him." - 2 Chronicles 15:3-4
Maybe, like me, you just need help. You need His help being patient. You need His help to overcome your struggle. You need His help in believing the truth. You need God to help you get back on solid ground, to steady your stumbling feet. Maybe you need His help seeing the bigger picture, having more faith. You need His help to be a better spouse, parent, friend, or whatever role He has called you to. So ask for it. Seek it out. He stands ready to help. He's never turned down a request, and He won't start with you.
Thank you, Lord, for your constant help.
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