Psalm 121:1-2, part 1

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

It was the week of our honeymoon, and I took my bride one Saturday afternoon to go whale watching off the coast of Maine. It would be six of the most regrettable hours of my life. The little boat we shared with 50 others kept rocking up and down, rolling with the restless rhythm of the Atlantic Ocean. The constant motion made me more nauseous with each relentless wave until I could no longer take it. I rushed to the railing of the vessel to join several of my fellow travelers as in unison we emptied our stomachs and added to the ecosystem of the Atlantic!
Only after my third trip to the side of the boat did the convulsions mercifully stop. But the sickness wouldn't release me until the final hour when the blessed shoreline came back to view. And in case you're wondering, the whales never showed. I don't blame them though. I wouldn't want to swim in vomit either. The rolling Atlantic had revealed to me my helpless inability to really control anything in my life.
There are times when you feel helpless. Perhaps you're there today. You find yourself powerless to change your family or yourself. You know all too well your weakness to defeat a specific temptation and to stay right with God. You've tried to read your Bible and pray and even share your faith, but you end up epically failing. In fact, you've failed so many times that you've quit trying and have begun to indulge in a life lived for self. What's the answer?
The answer is simple. You need a Helper to do for you what you can't do for yourself. And according to Psalm 121, you have one…and he's all-powerful. As wonderful as it is, the best part of salvation is not escaping hell or even having your sins forgiven. The greatest part of salvation is that you get God in your life. You now have access to the most potent power in the universe. Never resign yourself to believing your impossible situation cannot change.
Do you remember my powerlessness to stop the waves of the ocean? When you face your own helpless situation today, call out to the one who muzzles the wind and waves of the Sea of Galilee. As he comes to help you, you too will say, "What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

Food for thought: If God is your help, why are you trying to fix your problems without him?

Andy Gleiser
Student Ministries Pastor | www.burgeterrace.org
Founder | www.3gministries.org
Andy and his wife, Bryn, have been serving the church family of Burge Terrace Baptist Church since 2001. They have three children - Charis, Drew, and Amberly.