January 6

Help from Without

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness. — Isa 41:10 BSB

Yesterday's promise assured us of the strength we need to carry out our tasks, but today’s promise guarantees us help when we can't act on our own. The Lord says, “I will help you.” Inner strength is supported by external help. God can bring us allies in our battles if it pleases Him, and even if He doesn’t send human assistance, He Himself will be by our side, which is even better. “Our Mighty Ally” is far superior to legions of human helpers.

His help is timely; He is always there in times of trouble. His help is wise; He knows exactly how to provide the right kind of help for each person. His help is effective, even though human help often fails. His help is more than just assistance—He carries the entire burden and meets all our needs. “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man can do to me.”

Because He has already been our help, we trust Him for both the present and the future. Our prayer is, “Lord, be my helper”; our experience is, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness”; our expectation is, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills, where my help comes from”; and soon, our song will be, “Lord, You have upheld me.”