Because Jesus Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted….Let us approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need….We say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 4:16, 6:10, 13:6)
Audrey Mieir’s Poem
Audrey Mieir (1916-1996) composed many gospel songs and is best known for, “His Name Is Wonderful.” I have adapted her poem below:
Don’t be troubled with thoughts of tomorrow, Of all the duties you surely must do.
On the Lord cast your burden of sorrow. It matters to Him about you!
Don’t be weary when trials are given, But trust God to carry you through.
He will make all a pathway to heaven. It matters to Him about you!
Be patient until Jesus’ appearing, That day’s coming soon to your view.
For the mists of this dark age are clearing. In love, Christ is planning for you!
Mieir’s poem captures the confidence Jesus’ followers can have that God will help us when we need it most. Here are some Psalm fragments we can use as prayers or to encourage us to lift up our problems to the Lord in our own words. We don’t have to get our requests exactly right. Christ says that our Heavenly Father already knows what we need before we ask Him!1
Psalm Fragments
Psalm 18:35 You make Your saving help my shield, and Your right hand sustains me. Your help has made me great.
Psalm 22:11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Psalm 22:19 Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength. Come quickly to help me.
Psalm 27:9 Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.
Psalm 28:2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help, as I lift up my hands toward Your Most Holy Place.
Burdened Believers
As we read these entire Psalms, we see that the Psalmists, King David and others, had some very bad days. They were overwhelmed with pain, hurt, and grief. They were tempted to slip away from God and go back to their old ways. They were weak, and appealed to the Lord’s strength. They were shaky and called on Jesus to be their Rock. They were insecure and asked Christ to be their Mighty Fortress. They needed a safe place and asked God to be their Refuge. We can do the same! When we feel like we can’t make it through the day, we can believe, even with weak faith, that God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) can and will help us. The New Testament says: Christ will keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus’ return.2 Christ is eternally committed to us!
Call Christ Jesus your Salvation, Rest beneath the Almighty’s shade,
In His secret habitation, Dwell, and never be dismayed.
There no tumult shall alarm you. You shall dread no hidden snare.
Lies or violence cannot harm you. You’ll enjoy eternal safeguard there.3
More Psalm Fragments
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.
Psalm 30:2 Lord my God, I called to You for help, and You healed me.
Psalm 30:10 Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me. Lord, be my help.
Psalm 31:22 In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet You heard my cry for mercy when I called to You for help.
Psalm 38:22 Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.
Get Low
Sometimes when we pray in times of hurt and frustration, we doubt that God will answer us. We feel unworthy because of our past failures, broken promises, and unstable lives. The Psalmists were all unworthy, only sinners saved by God’s grace in Jesus, so we are in good company. Let’s be honest with the Lord about our failings. Let’s have the God-centered (not self-centered) kind of sorrow about our wrongs that leads us back to the Lord and results in salvation.4 Like these Psalms, let’s ask God for His mercy, undeserved favor, grace, and compassion. One Hebrew verb is chanan, asking the King of kings to bend or stoop down to show kindness to an inferior. It’s good for us to get low before the Lord, because that’s how we receive His help and blessing. Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”5
From the plague at noonday coming, From the deadly pestilence,
In the depth of midnight blasting, God shall be your sure Defense.
He shall command His angel legions, To watch and care for you and keep.
Though you walk through hostile regions, Even in wild deserts you shall sleep.6
George Muller and His Lord
George Muller (1805–1898) was a Christian evangelist and director of an orphanage in England. He cared for over 10,000 homeless children during his lifetime, established 117 schools, and offered Christian education to more than 120,000 children. Muller took no personal salary and depended on God alone to supply the money and food to support the many children he befriended in Christ’s name. A man of radiant faith, Muller kept a Scripture verse on his desk. 1 Peter 5:7 says: “Cast all your anxiety on the Lord because He cares for you.” That verse brought comfort, strength, and uplifting confidence to his heart. Muller rested his asking on God’s willingness to help and said at the end of his life that the Lord always provided for him and his orphans. Scripture says: “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.”7
God is our Creator, Upholder, and Savior. Only He can keep our lamp burning. Only He can turn our darkness to light. So on bad and good days let’s pray: Lord, hold tightly onto me!8
To be continued.
Notes (various Bible translations): 1 Matt 6:8. 2 1 Cor 1:8. 3 Adapted from a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 91. 4 2 Cor 7:10. 5 James 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5; Prov 3:34; Psalm 18:26, 138:6; Matt 23:12. 6 Adapted from a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 91. 7 Phil 4:13. 8 See Psalm 63:8.