You Have a Helper
We need help in every area of life, and looking to God for that strength is the beginning and continuance of faith.
John Wesley emphasizes the importance of recognizing our need for help in every aspect of life, particularly in our spiritual journey. He reflects on Psalm 121:1, where the pilgrim looks to the hills for assistance, reminding us that true strength and wisdom come from God alone. Wesley encourages believers to acknowledge their weaknesses and to rely on the Lord as their ultimate source of support, which is a sign of strength rather than weakness. He challenges us to seek help not only from God but also from others in our community, fostering accountability in our spiritual lives. Ultimately, looking to God for help prepares us for both the small and significant challenges we face.
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I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? Psalm 121:1 This is one of the Psalms that was used by pilgrims as they travelled to Jerusalem for the religious festivals. The journey was long and dangerous with thieves and hijackers a constant danger, especially at night. Sentries were placed on surrounding hills at night and the picture we have here is of a pilgrim looking up to the hills before going to bed and meditating on the thought : "Where does my help really come from?"
In a reference to this verse in his sermon The Reformation of Manners, John Wesley suggests the following : "Deeply conscious therefore should every member of this society be of his own foolishness, weakness, helplessness; continually hanging with his whole soul upon Him who alone has wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction that 'the help which is done upon the earth, God doth it Himself.' " We need help with everything, from keeping our cars going to filling in our income tax returns, from doing our job properly to conducting our personal relationships.
We need help in our spiritual life, which can not only be difficult but dangerous! We need help, and in every area sentries (i.e. others) are useful but like the Psalmist we must look beyond them to the real source of strength: the loving, protecting, always awake Lord who made the hills. We all need help and acknowledging this is not weakness, but strength, and looking to God for that strength is the beginning (and the continuance) of faith. Looking to God for strength in small things stands us in good stead for when the big things come.
How good are you at asking for help, particularly in your spiritual pilgrimage? While looking to the Lord for help, how do you feel about asking someone to watch over you and hold you accountable to a 'Sermon on the Mount lifestyle'? As you look to the Lord for help ask Him who He wants you to help today. Lo! To the hills I lift mine eye, Thy promised aid I claim; Father of mercies, glorify Thy favourite Jesu's name! (134)
Sermon Outline
- The Need for Help
- The Source of Help
- Looking Beyond Human Help
- The Beginning of Faith
- Acknowledging our need for help is strength
- Looking to God for strength is the beginning of faith
Key Quotes
“Deeply conscious therefore should every member of this society be of his own foolishness, weakness, helplessness; continually hanging with his whole soul upon Him who alone has wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction that 'the help which is done upon the earth, God doth it Himself.'” — John Wesley
“We need help, and in every area sentries (i.e. others) are useful but like the Psalmist we must look beyond them to the real source of strength: the loving, protecting, always awake Lord who made the hills.” — John Wesley
Application Points
- We should acknowledge our need for help and look to God as the ultimate source of strength.
- Looking to God for help in small things prepares us for when the big things come.
- We should seek accountability from others in our spiritual pilgrimage.