God Helps Those Who Help Themselves Series

David said he was about to die and he was helpless to do anything about it. If God hadn’t helped him it would have been all over. That’s the same kind of attitude we must bring to God.

My favorite hymn in our hymnal is “Man of Sorrows, What a Name” written by Phillip Bliss. One reason I like it is because it tells the full story of the act of atonement, or forgiveness. The third verse speaks of how helpless we are without Jesus: “Guilty, vile, and helpless we; Spotless Lamb of God was He; Full Atonement! Can it be? Hallelujah, What a Savior!”

Are you willing to admit you are guilty, vile, and helpless? Only then will you find that God helps those who admit they are helpless.

2. Trust Him alone for help

God is not one of several sources of help for you. He is the only source of eternal help. David wrote in Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip–he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Most people think David was lifting up His eyes toward the hills and they reminded Him of God. But the Hebrew grammar makes it clear he was asking a question: “Does my help come from the hills? No, my help comes from God.” Whether David was camping out as a shepherd boy, or as a soldier, he knew that the hills were full of danger. Enemies, thieves and wild animals came from the hills. The only reason he could go to sleep was because he knew God wasn’t sleeping–God was watching over him.

What is it in your life keeping you awake? What dangers are lurking up in the hills around you? Go ahead, trust Him. There’s no reason for you to stay up at night worrying about it. God never gets sleepy. He never snoozes. He is watching over you, so you don’t have to be afraid.

I heard about a Christian businessman who was leaving for a two-week business trip. He prayed with his wife before he left. “Lord, please protect Sharon and the kids while I’m gone.” After he finished his wife looked at him and said with a smile. “Thanks for the prayer, but who do you think protects us while you’re here?”

CONCLUSION

So, the next time you hear someone say, “God helps those who help themselves,” be sure to say, “Not so. In truth, God helps the helpless!”

The beginning of the 20th century was an interesting time for the world. Charles Darwin introduced the theory of evolution in 1859 with his book The Origin of Species. His theory was gaining popularity and many people believed social evolution existed too. There was a widespread belief that mankind was getting better and better and man’s collective evolution would result in utopia, or heaven on earth. It was a time of peace, progress, and endless promise.

With the Industrial Revolution in full swing, there seemed to be no limit to what technology could accomplish. The telephone, airplane, electric light, and the horseless carriage were all invented in the first few years of the 20th century. It was a heady time when man had a pompous confidence in himself and his technology. At the very pinnacle of this evolutionary climb was the construction of what was to be the greatest ship in history–the Titanic. It was the biggest, fastest, most luxurious ship ever built. It was a symbol of man’s technological evolution. When it was dedicated on May 31, 1911, one of the employees of the White Star Line was overheard to say, “Even God Himself could not sink this ship!”