God is my Helper

 

In fellowship with others, we discussed the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. As Piper says, we are prone to think of ourselves as serving God, but that is not gospel truth. We are not serving Him — but He is serving us. He makes us able to do His will because apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

We met a woman this week who came to us as a persecuted Christian. She had been put in prison for her faith and was raising her daughters alone, in a very dangerous country. Her husband worked in another one, making enough to support them and other family members. When asked how she survived all that, her face glowed as she told us of God’s care and faithfulness. He gave His peace to her in it all and met her needs. She was so certain of God’s goodness that she did not give in to fear or doubt.

Today’s reading says “God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him.” The NT says of Him:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

This reveals what God is like. He gave Himself for us when He was on the earth, and He keeps on doing the same; meeting needs physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in every way.
This is what the Apostle Paul said about Him:

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, (Romans 15:18)
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. (2 Timothy 4:17)
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Jesus meets me in my needs, these days mostly for strength (I’ve had too many birthdays) and for ideas. His eagerness to do that is astonishing.

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)

The word ‘follow’ in Psalm 23 is literally “to pursue” so He is not just tagging behind to see if I need help but taking the initiative — as expressed by Jeremiah:

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:40–41)

PRAY: Lord, this week I’ve noticed how You put helpful ideas and actions into the hearts of others who blessed me by doing what You wanted me to experience. I sit here and weep because of Your thoughtful goodness. So often You are way ahead of me for You do things that I didn’t realize were needed — until You did them. Thank You for such incredible care and faithfulness. “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.” (Psalm 54:4)

The Cost of Freedom

 

The plot of some mystery and crime stories involves kidnapping and the demand of a ransom to provide release of the person held captive. Such fiction is based on reality. Statistics say human trafficking is a $150 billion-worth industry with thousands of adult and child cases every year. In the USA, 600,000 people go missing annually. Of millions of global kidnappings for ransom, more than 40% occur in Asia.

Recently the US State Department travel advisories put a K beside those countries with a risk of kidnapping by criminals and terrorists. The danger is real and the ransom demands are often very high.

Even so, the need for a ransom is not limited to certain countries or kidnapping cases. God’s Word explains that all human beings are held captive by sin and need a ransom to set us free. Otherwise we will perish. Romans 3:22–23 says, “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and Romans 6:23 adds, “For the wages of sin is death . . . .”

In the OT, this was illustrated in God’s law for those who committed murder. Numbers 35:31–32 shows how serious God considers human life. “Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest.”

Murder was not the only sin. The rich may think their money will save them from sin’s penalty but Psalm 49:7–9 says, “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit.”

Yet the same song writer knew (verse 15)that “God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.” The prophets also realized they would be ransomed from their captivity. Isaiah 51:11 joyfully declares that “The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

Jeremiah 31:11–14 tells the same thing:

“For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord . . . . I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord.”

While redemption is free it is also a costly transaction. No one can pay their ransom without dying but in great mercy, the Lord sent Jesus to pay it for us. The NT declares it and this is great reason for joy!

Mark 10:45. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

1 Timothy 2:5–6. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

1 Peter 1:17–19. “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Revelation 5:9–10. “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. I know the emotion of a child gazing in wonder at the policeman who finds and releases him from kidnappers, and the joy of a slave set free from bondage. I was bought with a price, a very high price. My new life and freedom first required death — that of God the Son who died for me, and as Romans 6:6–7 says, my “old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that I would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” He died for me and I ‘died’ in Him so I can now freely live for Him as one who has been ransomed!