YAHWEH EZER - THE LORD MY HELP

He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:21)

“So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)

I led a team of evaluators to assess the impact of a project on a community of cocoa farmers. I had been doing this work for over 10 years so I “thought” I knew precisely what to look for. My self-confidence was busted when a farmer pointed out the “error in my thinking”. He proceeded to go with me to the farm to show me what I was getting wrong. As I walked with this aged farmer, who admitted he had had no formal education, I learned the importance of humility. 

Why do I recall this incident? Over the years, I have come to know that it requires some level of humility for us to admit we need God’s help. All through our schooling we have been taught to resolve our problems by ourselves. Society hammers into our heads - you are a self-made person! Therefore, it takes humility to admit that “In my own strength I cannot handle this situation or this circumstance or this affliction or this trial, and call on God for help. It is not therefore surprising that God is always the last resort for many of us - after we have exhausted all known avenues available to us. 

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10)

It is important for all Christians to know God as our Help so that we might be equipped to stand fast on this great truth when the storms of life come and we find ourselves in narrow straits and in need of Jehovah's help. Not knowing God as our Help has led many Christians down the road of destruction - sometimes even in the hands of “false prophets” who masquerade as “angels of light”

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the Name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! (Psalm 20:1).

When I humble myself before God and cried to Him for help, my circumstance, trial, affliction, distress or difficulty do not automatically vanish. But I have learned that after I have committed the circumstance into the hands of God, I begin to view the adverse circumstance from a supernatural perspective. I no longer see Him as a God who is far off, but one who is ever present with me. He ceases to be the God I hear of in church, but the God who lives in me.

“My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6)

God did not take away the challenges Job was going through, but He used the very trials to teach Job to know Him in a more personal, intimate, and experiential way.

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. (Job 23:10)

When we humble ourselves and ask God for help, we come to not only know His name and acts of old, but we become like Moses, and come to know His ways as we experience the move of His power in our lives.

“He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel” (Psalm 103:7) 

When Moses and the children of Israel were stuck between the sea and the armies of Egypt, God made known His ways - He created a way where there seemed to be no way. What situation are you in right now? 

“For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob”. (Malachi 3:6).

The sad truth is that most of us only rejoice at the provisions of God. We are only interested in getting God to solve our problems. And so we focus on the receiving part of prayer. Of course, God is pleased to provide for us. BUT we need to move beyond that. We need to see beyond His provision to know His presence in our lives. Let your prayer mature from - God pay my bills, Lord heal my child - to - God show me your ways, God let me know you more! Moses looked beyond God’s provisions in the wilderness - He wanted to know the ways of God, and God granted His request and more:

“Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.” And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:13-14)

Have you come to know God more personally as a result of your experiences with Him? Have you moved beyond the acts and provisions of God to a revelation of His character which is revealed in His many Names - such as Jehovah Ezer - The Lord my Helper?

Having such a revelation of God changes the way you look at the challenges you meet every day - for you know the ways of God, and you know that after He has led you through this challenge you shall come forth as gold. 

Knowing the ways of God takes away fear and anxiety. It is only those who know the ways of God, can appreciate what Paul meant when he said, 

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

The psalmist knew the ways of God, so he could say”

“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name” (Psalm 33:20-21)

When we don’t know God as our Help we tend to fret and take things into our own hands. Sarah failed to see God as her Help in her time of barrenness, and so she tried to hasten the promise of God to Abraham by offering her servant, Hagar. Knowing that God is our Help will cause our hearts to be at peace, and we learn to wait for Him. 

“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31)

He is our help and our shield. Our help in labour, our shield in danger. The Lord answers all things to His people. Amen!