My Helper And My Defender

We say it over and over again because it is true every day of our life: “We are powerless on our own.“  Our lives are unmanageable; our problems are too great; our issues are too confusing; our emotional challenges are too overwhelming unless we ask God to come and help us. 

Save me by your power, O God; set me free by your might! Hear my prayer, O God; listen to my words! Proud people are coming to attack me; cruel people are trying to kill me—those who do not care about God. But God is my helper. The Lord is my defender. Psalm 54:1-4 

Along with the writer of this Psalm we can confidently come to God today and ask for His help.  Too many people think it’s “self-centered” to ask God for help and to bring our concerns to Him.  The opposite is true.  God is eagerly waiting for us to invite Him into our circumstances so He can provide the help we need.

Whether it is harsh words from others, misunderstandings that are beyond our control to fix, or just people acting thoughtlessly in ways that cause harm, God wants to come alongside us, care for us, and help resolve our problems. 

If we think we have to do it on our own, then we are not allowing God to be our helper and our defender and we are missing out on the goodness that God wants to pour into our lives. 

We face challenges all day long but God wants to defend truth in our lives. He wants to defend the individual beauty and creativity He put into each of us.  He wants to defend us against all the lies of the evil one either through the mouths of others or in our own thoughts. 

Even though we may be new to trusting God and our ability to believe that God can work effectively is not solid, if we will just turn our will and our life over to God’s care, He will keep His promise.  He will work on our behalf.  He will rescue us and settle those things that concern us as we turn them over to His care. 

Faithful Heavenly Father, You have made many amazing promises and we want to trust You to give us wisdom and courage to face those things that concern us today. 

Protect us from ourselves and flawed perspective that we can handle things on our own.  We need Your help.  We need You to be our defender.  We rely on You.  We lean into Your steady help on our behalf.  We trust You to do what You promise - to be our helper and my defender. Amen

Where do we feel challenged in our person, in what’s going on in our work, our relationships, our hopes for the future? These are the areas to take a moment and commit to God and ask for His help and His defense today.