Pastor Dominic Cardamone
Psalms 121 beautifully shows that God is our help. As Creator of heaven and earth, He is strong and wise enough to address anything we face in life. He doesn’t fall asleep on the job either. He is paying attention to what happens to us each day and cares for our well-being. When dangers lurk on the fringes of our day-to-day activity, God is there to protect us. Where would we be were it not for the help of God?
Practically speaking, God often helps us in life through circumstances by the arm of people. In other words, God wants to use us as His instruments to be a help to others. In Philippians 4, Paul “rejoiced in the Lord greatly” (vs. 10) because of how God was working in his life providing for his needs and care through the faithful giving of the believers at Philippi. (See verses 10-19.) God wants to use us to uplift and support people today, too.
How can we be a help?
Pray. Prayer moves the hand of God and is the greatest tool we have to affect change in the circumstances we face as well as that of others. So pray for people and pray specifically for God to provide you with opportunities to tangibly help those people.
Be Attentive. Sometimes we miss opportunities to help because we are not looking for them. Be on the lookout to help when you are at home, work, church, and out in the community. Don’t let people become background noise. Ask questions and find out what needs people have. Follow the Holy Spirit's leading and seek to meet the needs you discover.
Schedule. What gets scheduled gets done. Helping people is important, so block off time in your planner to intentionally be involved in making a difference in the lives of others. In the busy days in which we live, this means saying “no” to some things so we can say “yes” to other more important things.
Share Your Resources. God often gives to us so He can give through us. Read that again. Don’t hoard the blessings of God in your life. Be willing to share what you have been given. Give of your talents and your treasures to help someone in need.
Serve. Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Come alongside others and carry their burdens with them. Cut the grass for your neighbor who just got home from the hospital, watch the kids and let your exhausted spouse have a kid-free outing, or help a friend with a large home improvement project. There are innumerable ways to get involved and practically serve those in our circles of influence.