I work out most of my life’s problems when I take a walk with Jesus each morning. While the humidity hugs my skin and the song of the birds fills my ears, I talk about my problems with Jesus.
On this day, I was preparing to write a message called “Hold on to Hope.” But the problem was that I felt totally unequipped and unqualified to teach anyone about hope. I had not been a stellar example of holding on to hope myself. I needed someone to teach ME how to do it!
As I poured out my fears and concerns to Jesus, I pleaded for Him to help me, to show up, and to supernaturally give me the words. I entreated Him not to abandon me now.
“Jesus,” I begged, “please don’t leave me standing at the altar.”
Photo by Shardayyy Photography on Unsplash
Just like God prompted David to take on Goliath and Joshua to march around the walls of Jericho, God calls us to do big things. Hard things. Sometimes impossible things. He calls us to go back to school when we don’t have the finances. He asks us to share Jesus with our atheist neighbors. He asks us to start ministries and nonprofits and new businesses.
Sometimes He even asks us to sell all we have and become missionaries.
These are not things that we can do by ourselves. No matter how much we muster our own strength or skills or knowledge, we can’t do these things without Jesus. God delights in asking us to do impossible things because this requires us to have faith…to trust Him to do what we cannot do and to depend upon Him to help us.
“If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides…” 1 Peter 4:11
In parenting, in marriage, in the workplace, in ministry… without Jesus, we are toast.
So when you step out in faith to do the difficult or impossible thing that God asks of you, how do you know that God will help? After all, God is in heaven, and Jesus is up there sitting at His right hand, so who is here to help us on the earth?
The good news is Jesus did not leave us empty-handed. Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit – our own very helper. My friend and fellow blogger Andy Lee describes Holy Spirit as “God available 24/7.”
Holy Spirit won’t stand you up when you need Him most. He is available to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
When God leads you to ask for a promotion, Holy Spirit is there to help.
When God prompts you to tell your coworker about Jesus, He will help you.
When God asks you to give the whole balance in your checking account, Holy Spirit won’t abandon you….
When God puts on your heart to start a Bible study, He won’t stand you up.
When God asks you to do the hard or the difficult or the impossible, Holy Spirit is your help.
“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.” Psalm 121:1-2
Jesus won’t stand us up at the altar. We won’t be abandoned or forgotten or left to flounder on our own. We can’t fail, because the Holy Spirit will show up and help us.
Anytime we walk in obedience to God, we walk with divine assistance.
God answered my prayer and helped me to write my message about hope. He was faithful to His promises to me, and He did not leave me standing alone at the altar.
And Jesus won’t leave you standing alone at the altar, either. He will show up, for He is faithful.
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