By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
FRIDAY
THEME: GOD RELATES AS OUR DIVINE HELPER“
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 13:6
“So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
REFLECTIONS
Everyone needs help – of a kind. Except for God, no one can claim to be self-sufficient and will need no help. At every point of our existence, we need help from someone – parents, siblings, spouses, children, family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, church members, government, etc. We receive many small pieces of support but take them for granted; our lives would be miserable if they were not forthcoming. Some may assume that because of their wealth, they are self-sufficient and need no one else’s help; such people will realize their mistakes when disaster strikes, when they suddenly fall ill, or when they are admitted to the hospital. We all need help based on circumstances we find ourselves in, or that may arise. That is why we should ensure we forge good and supportive social relationships.
However, human beings have limitations, and therefore, beyond the human support systems, we ultimately need divine help. The good news is that God is our helper from conception to the grave. He remains our constant and indispensable Helper. He is our problem solver and constant helper in times of trouble. When lonely days come, God is our companion because He has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” – Hebrews 13:5. If God never leaves or forsakes us when family, friends, and institutions are gone or have reached their maximum in support, we can trust Him to be our strength, hope, and deliverer. In every untoward situation, we can encourage ourselves to believe that our help will come from God, who remains constantly present (Psalm 121:1-4).
Hebrews 13:6 states, “So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” This statement is premised on and directly linked to the promise in verse 5 – “. . . For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Since our relationship with God lasts until we decide to truncate it, we can confidently rely on God and His promises. Provided we will always remember and never forget this short statement in our times of difficulty and perplexity, we will garner hope and persevere in any trial for the glory of God to be revealed. We give up too soon. Our faith fades and wanes too fast. But if we take God for His word, we shall be giants in faith.
These two verses (Hebrews 13:5,6) bring to mind many of God’s unfailing promises that should keep us confident, bold, and hopeful. As Moses ended his ministry, he encouraged the Israelites: “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”- Deuteronomy 31:6. This is true today! Psalms 118:6 affirms, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Beloved, we remain confident and cherish our relationship with God for “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” – Psalm 27:1. In keeping your relationship with God tightly, you will have security, divine help, boldness, and confidence to face each day and every situation that may confront you. God is and remains our DIVINE HELPER!
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 251 – “He Lives”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His constant presence; thank God for the benefits of your relationship with Him; pray to appreciate His role in your life as your divine Helper and not to doubt or fret;
– Pray for individuals and families that have lost loved ones, those who are fighting severe life battles, the ailing and battling to survive, the sad and discouraged in life, and people who have gone through traumatic experiences lately;
– Pray for young Christians to walk closely with Jesus, be Christ’s ambassadors of hope, and win their peers for Christ; pray for widows/widowers, orphans, and single parents that God will be their helper;
– Pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation, God’s intervention to restore hope, and the wellbeing of the citizenry; pray for the spread of the gospel and the faint-hearted to know there is help.
