Saturday, December 27, 2014

When the Chips are Down......

UV 1283/10,000 When The Chips are Down…
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
Psalm 22 v 19

The Psalmist David declared the Lord as His strength. He did not regard his army, his throne, his military prowess, his wealth, his loyal supporters, his kingdom or his people as his strength but only the Lord. He knew that the Lord God was only a prayer away, that He is not distant and that He is close and personal. God manifests His strength to the advantage and help of His people, those who are in a personal relationship with Him. He is the God of impossible odds. Even when all probabilities and possibilities are extremely low. Even when the situation is hopeless, He can turn things around. The proximity of the Lord precedes the availability of His help. Therefore, David first cried out to the Lord to come near to hi and then only to hasten to his help. Our relationship with God should not be utilitarian- to use or get His assistance in times of need and then forget Him. We should not be time-servers but be consistent and faithful at all times, when things are looking up as well as when the chips are down.

We need to acknowledge that God has been our help, our Ebenezer from the time in our mothers’ wombs. He is an ever present help in our present troubles. He is a mighty help. He is an everlasting help. He is a help all round in every situation and predicament. He helps us overcome our own personal weaknesses for He knows us from the inside out. He knows our desires and aspirations. He helps us fulfill them in His time. In this uni-verse, David cries out desperately but with great hope that the Lord increase the speed of His help. The Lord God hearkens and hears even such prayers that seem to impatient with His timing or seems to question His sovereignty. Our attitude at the time of praying such a request should not be that of a rebel but that of a child who expects His Father to act quickly.

When King Hezekiah cried out for help against a formidable and powerful enemy- the army of Sennacherib, the Lord hastened to his help. When he cried out for healing and to lengthen his life so threatened by a disease, the Lord healed him and extended his life by another fifteen years. Sometimes the Lord delays some answers to prayer as He first desires an intimacy with us. He might want to test our faith. When we declare ourselves completely hopeful and dependent on His help alone, then He is pleased to act swiftly. No king would like to be described or viewed as a helper to his people. He would regard it as demeaning or insulting. But the Lord Jesus alone as King of Kings humbles himself as a helper or Ebenezer God to all people. It is His great grace, His humility and His awareness of our great need that enables Him to do so.


Prateep V Philip

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