I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1,2 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Depend on God
Those who live for a while on the International Space Station tell of a strange absence of fear up there in their tin can in a vacuum. We would expect them to be a little nervous. But because the station is still relatively small, they are able to continuously notice certain safety features of their habitat.
Some find comfort in the regularly placed oxygen containers, like scuba tanks. It is not true that exposure to space instantly brings death. And those breathing apparatus are reminders of help in the event of a breach.
Some find comfort in the constant hum of machinery. The ISS is engineered with backups, backups, and backups. If something breaks down, other machines are ready to take over, and are actually probably already running. Those soft sounds are reminders of help in the event of Murphy’s Law manifestations.
Some find comfort in the other experts inhabiting the station. Residents are chosen because of expertise in a number of fields. If the unexpected happens, someone probably has knowledge and experience to weather the crisis. Those companions are reminders of potential solutions to unforeseen problems.
The Israelites living near Jerusalem could see the mountains of that city, particular the Temple Mount. It is visible from nearly anywhere in the general vicinity of the Holy City. And that Temple Mount was a reminder of God’s presence and God’s help.
We pretend that we are independent. But we are not. We are dependent upon the one true King. We are dependent upon the God who created the universe. We are dependent upon our Redeemer. We are dependent upon the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
While we can not see the Temple Mount, all around us are reminders of God’s help. The Christian community reminds us of others’ stories of help. Creation reminds us of God’s power, ready to help. And certainly His Word reminds us in clear, reliable, and dependable promises of help.
Fear Not… Then Depend.