His Everlasting Love Protects us

 I know it's a bit early for thinking about New Year's resolutions, but thoughts about my 2022 word for the year have been floating around in my brain...soooo...I guess today is a good day to reveal it.  My word for 2022 is going to be...unless I change my mind in the coming weeks: Help.

After playing around with the idea of using the word "joy" as my word for 2022, this morning, not exactly sure how, the word "help" came to me and it immediately clicked.  The funny thing was that I'm usually THE WORST in concocting things like acronyms, acrostics, haiku poems...none of that...I'm not good at any of it, but today, I was able think of an acronym with the letters of the word "help."

His

Everlasting

Love

Protects us

After another challenging year of dashed hopes, disappointment dreams, disillusion, loss, and pain...the word "help" overflows with meaning.  

Psalm 121:1-2, reminds us where our help comes from:  I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Isaiah 41: 10 reminds us that we need not be afraid: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 54:4 reassures us that we are well sustained:  Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

John 14: 16 records Jesus' words about sending us His presence an ever-present Helper in us: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.

The thing with the concept of help is that it implies a two-fold condition: us as receivers and us as givers.  God has designed His children to be social creatures and He has given us Himself as well as one another to assist in the treacherous and difficult roads of life.  

Galatians 6: 2 says Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Notice the importance of the mission: help others and in doing so you are obeying the law.  It is a command by Jesus Himself:

This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. John 15: 12

This is the inspiration of the word "help." It is a command: go help...but it is also a cry: help me.  And they both are met by divine intervention from God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, as well as by us...the hands and feet of Our Lord.  

May 2022 be the year of receiving and giving help.  May we experience how His Everlasting Love Protects us always. May the inspiration from the Holy Spirit move us to fulfill our great commission, and may we become one another's help on the way.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!