Help!

We know that God is our help. He is, in fact, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalms 46:1). Some of us have been told as children that Jesus is always on the main line – just tell him what you want. While that may hold a very weighty truth, we are sometimes held captive by time and expectations when we call on God for help.

These days, it seems to be a normal part of placing a call, whether it’s for customer service or for an actual emergency requiring 911 level support – you’re going to be placed on hold, even if it’s for a short period of time. I remember calling 911 as I witnessed a man assaulting a woman at the bus stop. I was placed on hold and then the call was never picked up. The call was just dropped. I called the non emergency number and still got no answer. I called crime stoppers and no response. I was at a loss for what to do next. Every source that is supposed to be there to help when you call was unavailable. I’m sure this was a rare occasion for this to happen ( I hope so) it is well documented that 911 wait times, especially in Canada, are abysmal. For many people, these calls are the difference between life and death for themselves or others.

When we call on God, we at times expect Him to respond immediately - or, in our time frame and in the way we picture Him responding. When we call 911 for help, we do not dictate to the emergency responders how to support the crisis we are calling about. For example, in a fire, we don’t dictate to the firefighter the plan to control and subdue the fire. We expect that they know and are skilled enough to know how to prioritize and triage the immediate needs effectively.  Many times, when we call for help, we just want someone to assist us out of whatever situation we are in. When we call on God for help, we similarly cannot dictate to God how to grant us this help. He is all knowing and all good. Nahum 1:7: "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him". We ought to trust Him to know when and how to assist us when we call for help.

When God shows up with the answer to our cry, sometimes we are unable to recognize it as such. Perhaps we need to reflect on our expectations and the reality of who God is. Our expectation is that God should answer in the way we want to - the reality of who God is means that He will answer in the best way - which is His way. Another old saying goes “He may not come when you call Him but He’s always on time”. God does not sit in the heavenly realm ignoring the prayers of His children, we ought to be aware though, that the answer to our cry for help may not come wrapped in the package we expect.

Read Psalms 121