Help that Comes from the Lord - Your Nightly Prayer - May 19th

Help that Comes from the Lord
Your Nightly Prayer
by Rachel Wojo, Host of the Untangling Prayer podcast

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” - Psalm 121:2

SOMETHING TO PONDER

The hills have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a tiny town in the middle of West Virginia. In small lumber towns, everyone knows your name. The hills surrounding the valley go on forever. At least it seemed that way as a child. 

When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher had us memorize Psalm 121. I can still picture my small self standing outside, staring up at the wooded hills of the Monongahela Forest, whispering the words out loud, “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.” There was something about that experience as a nine-year-old. The God I was learning about in church wasn’t a small, distant thought. He made what was in front of me. All of creation. Every rock and hollow was crafted by His hand. He provided the nourishment for every tree reaching toward the sky. If God could create something this vast and beautiful, then surely He would take care of me and whatever was in my life. 

I’ve had to revisit that truth often as an adult. When responsibilities pile up, I’m tempted to shrink God down to the size of my problems. I’m guessing you’ve been there too when the to-do list is ever-growing. Deadlines can press in on us, and the needs of the people we love multiply. The weight expands, and our faith gets squished. Somewhere in the middle of all that we carry, we forget who we’re talking to when we pray. I’m guilty of treating God like a resource that might run out rather than the limitless Creator who spoke hills and beyond into existence. 

Psalm 121 was written as a Song of Ascent, a psalm that the pilgrims said as they journeyed to Jerusalem for worship. The walk was quite the trek. The road was dusty, and thieves lurked. The terrain was rugged, and into that uncertainty, the psalmist pleads: Where does my help come from? I appreciate that he went straight to the biggest thing he could about God: He made everything. The scope of God’s creative power is the songwriter’s proof that God can be trusted with whatever is pressing in on him tonight. It’s our invitation too. When the burdens of this world make us feel small, we need the power of the One who knows every burden we are carrying before we even name it. If your mind won’t stop spinning with the to-do list, know that you don’t have to have everything figured out. Your help doesn’t come from having it all together. Your help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. He’s not looking at your situation and wondering how He’ll manage it. I’m so thankful for that. Pray with me?

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Father,
Tonight I'm laying down a lot of weight. You see every responsibility I'm carrying. You know every name on my heart and every task I haven't finished. I confess that I've been trying to do this in my own strength, and I'm running on empty. Forgive me for shrinking you down. Forgive me for treating you like a last resort instead of the first place I turn. You are the Maker of heaven and earth. You are not overwhelmed by my life. Nothing I face surprises You or exhausts Your resources. Help me fall asleep tonight, resting in this truth.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Fixing Your Eyes Higher 
   When the pressure built today, where did your eyes go first? Your own capability or your calendar? The psalmist looked at the hills and then looked past them. Tonight, lift your gaze past the problem to the One who made everything you can see and everything you can't.
2. The Size of Your God 
   Somewhere along the way, did God get smaller in your mind? It happens quietly when life gets loud. We start to think of Him as a helper on the sidelines rather than the Creator who spoke galaxies into existence. Let that word settle over you tonight: Maker. He is not worried about your tomorrow.
3. Open Hands Before Sleep
   What's the one thing you've been gripping tightest today? You were never meant to carry it alone. Name it, open your hands, and give it to the Lord once again. He’s still got the whole world in His hands.

Thank you for joining us tonight. This devotional was written by Rachel Wojo, host of the Untangling Prayer podcast. If you find yourself crying out to God in life's hardest moments and wondering if He hears, Rachel invites you to explore her book, Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments at https://desperateprayers.com. Through her own journey and the promises of Scripture, Rachel shows that praying in a panic creates a powerful pathway to peace. You can find the link in the show notes.

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Bobby Stevenson

Rachel Wojo is an inspirational author, public speaker, and podcaster known for her popular blog, rachelwojo.com. Through her biblical approach and personal life experiences, Rachel empowers women to discover strength and hope in everyday situations. Despite enduring the loss of her mother, adult special needs daughter, and father, Rachel remains resilient. She has authored the uplifting book,  Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments  and a new beautiful, spiral-bound prayer journal, Praying the Promises of God, Rachel is crazy in love with her husband, Matt, and cherishes her motherhood with six children on earth and two in heaven.

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