In the normal course of life, it is easy to focus on our problems. They are unmistakable and staring us in the face. Some are just annoyances like pesky flies. Others seem like unbeatable giants. And there are plenty of others in between of all shapes and sizes. Some problems only last for a season; others may last for a lifetime. There is a Psalm that asks, “I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there?” (Psalm 121:1, NLT)
Where does our help come from? Where are we looking? What are we missing? The rest of Psalm 121 answers those questions. “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” (Psalm 121:2–8, NLT)
No matter how big the problem, God is larger still. No matter how deep the hole, God is deeper still. But God isn’t concerned over just the big stuff. Notice that “He will not let you stumble.” That’s caring about the small stuff in our lives. God watches over us even when we stub our toe or lose our balance on a rocky road.
Now, is this Psalm a promise that nothing bad will ever happen? I can point out times when “bad” did happen. But I can also point out many times when “bad” didn’t happen. For instance, Betty was driving to Peoria a couple of weeks ago. The roads were slick from a light snow. A car in front of her lost control, spun around, and headed straight towards her. A devistating head on collision was avoided by a inches. That’s the Lord.
There is another promise in the Bible that balances this out. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28, NLT) Even when something “bad” comes our way, God works it for our good. That doesn’t mean that He causes “bad.” That is a consequence of living in this “present evil age.” (Galatians 1:4)
We can rest in the promises of Psalm 121 and Romans 8:28. God is watching over us in ways we don’t even know about. The question to consider is this – Where does your help come from? Where are you looking? Where is your hope?
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