My Help Comes From The Lord
By David Foucar
The world is at our fingertips, so to speak, these days. We can practically go anywhere in the world. Just hop on a plane and off you go. Of course, even now, flying is a privilege that takes at least some level of affluence. It isn’t cheap. Still, from generation to generation, the ability to fly and see much more of the world than ever before has become increasingly common. Case in point: I flew for the first time, from Los Angeles to Denver, when I was eighteen years old. But my children have been flying to visit friends, and relatives, and even for vacation, since they were toddlers.
I fly, and have flown, frequently enough now that I don’t think much about it. I often just sit back and relax, read a book, watch a movie, or do a little work. I can hardly remember the wonder of my first flight. And, perhaps unfortunately, I rarely look out the window. This was not the case for my father when he took his first flight at the age of fifty-five. Fifty-five! And he had never been on a plane.
Perhaps it was a combination of the plane trip and the reason for the trip that moved him. He had gone to attend my brother-in-law’s funeral, who was much older than I was at the time, but still very young to die from a massive heart attack. There is certainly a heightened sense of awareness to spiritual things in times of grief.
Whether from the trip or the funeral or both, I’m not sure, but my father returned from that first flight with a sense of rekindled wonder at God and His creation. It was as if He had encountered God in a new way. “Man thinks he has done great things with his buildings and skyscrapers, but look at what God has made”, he told me. “I looked down at the mountains, and canyons, and rivers from the plane and saw how great God’s creation is. How powerful He is. Nothing man has done even comes close.”
The Bible gives us examples that God reveals Himself through His creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” says Psalm 19:1. Paul tells us in Romans 1:20 that “since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” And Psalm 33 beautifully describes God’s authority over the creation:
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars[a];
he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9)
Certainly, as my father did, it is good for us to look at the world and see God. To wonder at His creation. In the creation, the reminder of God’s existence is always there. We can see God wherever we look. We can see Him looking down from the widow of a plane or when I look out my office window and see the trees. He’s in a brief glimpse of a hawk gliding effortlessly along as we’re parked on the side of the road. Even in the rising and the setting of the sun each day. No matter where we are, everywhere we look is a reminder of our Creator. That’s amazing!
Guess what though? There is something more than just recognizing the Creator and His power and majesty. I say “just” not to minimize how awesome seeing God through His creation is but, rather, to pause in awe that this majestic, amazing God and Creator, who’s power brought the world into existence, directs that same power toward us. At me. The Psalmist writes:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)
Wow! “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” We can’t stop at “just” recognizing the Creator. We aren’t left to merely see that He is there. We have the privilege of calling out to Him when we are in need. First, we can have help with our greatest need. The need to be reunited and brought back to God, redeemed and saved through Jesus. And, He is there to help with our everyday needs until He returns. Large or small. Whatever our situation, God’s presence and power is available to us.
So, next time you’re on a trip, take a moment to look down from that airplane and marvel at God’s creation. Or simply look out your window at home or in the office. At the same time, lean on Him for help. Your help comes from the Lord!
David Foucar has a passion for teaching God’s word and has led Sunday School, Bible Studies, and Small Groups of all ages. He has served as a supply preacher and has been a lead speaker and seminar leader at Couples Retreats, Men’s Retreats, and Family and Youth Camps. David’s first book, “What Do I Say When Asked About Jesus?” is a conversational approach to helping people answer questions about Jesus. The book provides a layman’s perspective on personal evangelism and the basics of the Christian faith. “What Do I Say When Asked about Jesus?” gives the average Christian tools to help share about Jesus while increasing confidence in their own faith. Dave has been married for thirty-six years to the love of his life, Debbie. They have three daughters, two sons-in-law, and two granddaughters. To read more of David’s writing visit his Substack page.
Feature Photo by Knowing Jesus
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