Human Help is Useless

Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom? Have you rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march with our armies? Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes. Psalm 108: 10-13  NLT

The psalmist is asking for help in a battle. The first thought is how to get there. The second is who is going to help defeat Edom. Perhaps a trusted ally is needed. The psalmist seems to switch gears here and call on God. A human ally is not what is needed. God’s help is what is needed. It seems like God has rejected the psalmist and the army. God does not seem to be marching with them. 

Then the psalmist asks for God’s help. He realizes that human help is useless -- even the toughest ally cannot do what God can. With God, the enemy is trampled. 

Even in the church, we focus on those things we can do. We think we need to do certain things ourselves and often forget that human help is useless. We enter the battle before we have asked for God’s help. Only with God’s help can we do the really mighty things. 

Please help, us, Lord, for all human help is useless. With your help, we will do mighty things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright Amelia G. Sims 2012

God's Promises

Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power. God has promised this by his holiness: “I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine,and Manasseh too. Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors, and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings. But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia.” Psalm 108: 6-9 NLT

What promises has God made to you?

I guess I can be sure of God’s mercy and the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. I know that God loves me. I know God wants to bless me and wants the best for me -- but are those promises? 

I guess often I assume that God guarantees a smooth and worry-free life. But I don’t seem to read that in scripture. God promises gifts of the spirit, God promises that God will never leave me or forsake me. God promises to do more than I can even imagine. 

But a problem-free life is not among them. 

God, we are often asking for rescue, for saving in our lives. But you have other promises you give to us. Help us to see what you have actually promised and praise you for those things, not for the things we think we deserve. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright Amelia G. Sims 2012

My heart is confident in God

My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth. Psalm 108: 1-5 NLT

My heart is confident in you, God, so that I wake up with a song in my heart.

I wish I could wake up that way. More likely, I wake up resentful of getting out of bed, frustrated with all the stuff I don’t want to do but have to do this day, critical of my own lack of motivation to get the day started. Singing praises to God is the last thing on my mind!

In fact, I hate to sing first thing in the morning. I can’t stand the retreats I have been on where the first thing (even before coffee) is to sing. For me, it seems unnatural. I would rather be silent and contemplative.

But perhaps I am not so confident in God as I would like to appear. If God is truly in control and I believe it, then I should wake confident. All these other things -- the daily grind as it were -- should pale in comparison to God’s greatness and God’s love. I need more confidence in God. Perhaps I won’t wake up singing but I can wake up praising God.

God, my heart is confident in you. No wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright Amelia G. Sims 2012