S44P3 – The blessings of the Psalms: the helpers will be helped

Psa. 41:1-2

Blessed is he who considers the helpless; the Lord will save him in the day of trouble.  The Lord will protect him and keep him alive; and he will be called blessed in the land; You do not hand him over to the desire of his enemies.

In those days, my tax return typically went to helping me break even for the year. If I had had a good year, perhaps it would go toward getting me something I had wanted for some time but could not afford. That year, however, God had something else planned. I had met her during our retreat weekend, I have to say that she rubbed me the wrong way overall. For some reason, we just did not get along. So, when God prompted me to sow financially into her ministry plans, I hesitated. That money was earmarked for my needs, and she was not someone I even liked. That did not seem to matter to God. His desire was for me to help her where she could not help herself. I cannot remember how my finances ended up working out after providing what she needed, but they did work out. Looking back from now to then, I have always been blessed with provision.

There is a quotation that goes through my mind whenever I am faced with the opportunity to help someone in need. Anne Frank wrote, “no one has ever become poor by giving.” Whether we are speaking of finances or material things or simply our sweat equity, one thing that often keeps us from helping others is the idea that we will end up lacking after we give. Without a guarantee that we will receive in return that which we think we need and should keep in the first place, it can be difficult to give that to someone else. Here, God gives us that very guarantee. When we help those in need, in whatever form, God helps us when we are in need. When the day of trouble comes, He will be our rescue. Whether it is money, food, clothing or time, everything that we share with someone else can be replaced by God a hundredfold. More than that, He meets our need in every conceivable way.

I used to work with someone who would say often that God helps those who help themselves. I did not want to be rude at the time and would hold my tongue from telling her that expression is clearly untrue. If we could actually help ourselves, there would be no need for God. The reality is that we cannot help ourselves in any way, and He is the one who gives us everything. There are times when God desires to help others through us, and that is a privilege. God could make their provision fall out of the sky, or He could make it come from your hands. It should be our desire to be involved. When we do that in faith, he responds by caring for us in return. Father, thank You for the privilege of being able to help others in your name, and give us faith that You will always come to our aid in our times of trouble and need.