Powerful Helper (Daily Encouragement)
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 124:8
The call of Jesus is an invitation to “come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19). The term for this following is to become a disciple, a follower. We have been talking this week on the significance of knowing who we are following – knowing the nature and character of God; the kind of God he is. We have seen that he is “on our side” – he loves us. He is a rescuer because he is gracious. Verse 8 of Psalm 124 reveals that he is a “helper who is powerful.” From Alec Motyer:
“…the Genesis narrative teaches a great truth: the Creator is sovereign Lord of his creation. He initiates all things (Genesis 1:1), maintains them in existence (Isaiah 42:5), controls them in operation (Isaiah 40:26, 54:16-17), and directs them to their appointed end (Isaiah 65:17-18).
How great is he then, and how great is his power! It is this God who is on our side, and it is his world that we live, walk our pilgrim way, and meet the experiences of life. Yet our relationship goes beyond that of creature to Creator. ‘Our help,’ says David, ‘is in the name of the LORD’ (v/8. Wherever we read of his ‘name’ our minds should at once fly back to Exodus 3:15. His ‘name’ declares who and what he is: he is the Lord who came to Egypt to save us when we were helpless and hopeless, and who, in doing so, revealed himself to us, his chosen children (Exodus 4:22) and his redeemed (Exodus 6:6). He is our God for ever and ever, our Guide even to death (Psalm 48:14).
Knowing that God is our “helper who is powerful” brings great comfort and direction as we meet the experiences of life.