Where Does My Help Come From?
Special Gratitude Post
One of the things I love about my Bible study group is that it changes every year. Besides studying a different section of the Scriptures, we’re also assigned to a new group with new women, and (my favorite part) their stories – which are new to me. Each of the women has life experiences that God uses to encourage and teach the others in the group. This year has been no exception.
One of my new friends is Leticia. She’s a kind, sweet, lady with a beautiful Spanish accent and a smile that lights up the room. In the early weeks of class, Leticia shared a story of when she and her family were new to the Dallas area, having moved here from Colombia.
When they had been in the area for about eight months, her husband planned a trip away. He asked Leticia to ride along with him to the airport, drop him off at his gate, and then return home. Leticia agreed, and early in the morning, they headed for the airport. They arrived at his gate. He hopped out of the car, grabbed his luggage, and disappeared into the crowd of travelers.
Leticia moved to the driver’s seat and joined the stream of cars filtering away from the airport. But as the cars all went their separate ways on various highways, she realized that she didn’t know the way home.
Have you ever felt that level of panic?! Leticia was overwhelmed. She did the only two things she knew to do – pray to God and drive in the general direction of where she thought “home” might be. She reminded God of His promise in Psalm 121:1-2: “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.” She also pointed out to God that there were no hills anywhere to be seen and that she was none too happy about that.
She thought to stop and ask for help, but she feared that her limited English vocabulary would pose a problem with understanding. So she just kept driving and praying and repeating that Scripture (and crying every now and then). Friends, this continued for literally hours as Leticia frantically scanned the horizon for a literal hill, should God provide one.
Nine hours after she had dropped her husband off at the airport, Leticia looked up and noticed a tall building that was in the area of her neighborhood. A “hill!” God had provided a “hill!” God’s help appeared in the form of a tall building in a familiar neighborhood! Leticia drove in that direction until the landscape became more familiar, and finally she was home.
I have another friend whose journey has been extremely painful and without reprieve. She describes her walk as if she were walking through a lonely, dark valley – hopeless, despairing, heartbreaking. Can you relate? And the same verse that led dear Leticia home is the same verse I’ve encouraged my other sister with.
God is faithful. God won’t leave us to wander around a huge, fast-paced city forever any more than He’ll leave us to languish on a road that’s full of grief, ache, and affliction. Brother, sister – lift up your eyes to the hills – the place where your Help comes from. The Maker of heaven and earth is watching out for you, calling to you, and making a way for you. How great is our God – that He will one day heal the wounds, soothe the ache away, and wipe away every tear – that we will one day arrive home! And thank You, God, for making Yourself known – in the valleys and on the hills.
