Defining Moments

Got Help?

It seems that from the time we are born, we strive to overcome the feeling (and reality) of being helpless. Infants cry mostly because they are completely unable to help themselves. From the moment they can ambulate in any fashion (roll, crawl, or toddle), babies tend to push the limits of their helplessness. We parents learn to constantly curb our little ones’ thirst for perilously exploring the boundaries.

"I do it!” is one of the very first complete sentences to cross the lips of still-teething human offspring. They will try and fail, but insist—on no uncertain terms—that they give it a full, tedious effort before they begrudgingly allow an adult to intercede. This process, of course, is not all bad; it’s how we learn. But, at a certain point, the pattern of not accepting help when totally helpless becomes a liability. God calls it “pride.” Face it, we humans have our limits.

One prominent synonym for God in Scripture is “our help,” or “helper.” Just as a parent loves to help his child, God—our Abba Father—loves to help His children in their weaknesses; and our weaknesses are legion. But, sometimes because of pride, even we Christians are a little slow in acknowledging our need for divine assistance.

Philosopher, J.P. Moreland (who spoke recently at our church) wrote of an experience he had which illustrates how sometimes we simply overlook God’s desire to help. It happened on a Sunday, the day before his main day of teaching at Biola University. He also had a lecture at a local church that coming Tuesday.

His throat was raw and sore; the worst case of laryngitis he had contracted in 35 years. He said his throat “felt as if it had broken glass in it.” The doctor gave him the bad news that it was a virus and the laryngitis would last 7 to 10 days. Although he had already missed his limit of classes for that semester, there would be no lecturing for him the next day, or week, or more, or so he thought.

Dr. Moreland had accepted the fact that he would have to call his secretary and cancel his classes for the week. As he was leaving church that evening, on his way to make the call, one elder yelled, “Hey, J. P, you can't leave yet. Hope (J.P.’s wife) just told us you have laryngitis, and we can't let you get outta here without loving on you a bit and praying for your throat!” But, the laryngitis seemed like a done deal. J.P. hadn’t even considered having the elders pray. Dr. Moreland described it this way:

“To be honest, I wasn't listening to a word they said. I had already left the church emotionally and wanted to get home to make my phone call. But something happened. As the two men prayed gently for me, I began to feel heat pour into my throat and chest from one elder's hand. After two or three minutes of prayer, I was completely and irreversibly healed! I started talking to the brothers normally with no pain, no effort, no trace that anything had been wrong. I never had to make that call to my secretary. The laryngitis never returned.”

Sometimes it’s as simple as asking for God’s help. But, asking for help isn’t always that simple. Often, we don’t have a clue as to what, or how to ask. Well, guess what; God is there to help with that too!

As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8: 26—
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
So, no matter what the weakness, when it comes to needing help, you can choose to humbly ask God, or default to your inner child and keep stubbornly insisting, “I do it!”

“Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!” ─Psalm 30:10 nkjv