“Help Me!” (Psalm 70:1).
Psalm 70 describes a personal crisis in the life of the psalmist. This crisis required the immediate help of God because, in this critical situation in his life, the psalmist recognized that only God could help him.
Today people have some of the same problems that the psalmist had hundreds of years ago. The greater our needs, the greater should be the urgency in making known our requests to God. No one but God himself can provide effectual help and guidance in times of distress.
However, God sometimes uses a person near to us who can provide the help we need. But, in our distress and problems, it becomes easy to withdraw our confidence in people who can provide the help we need. Thus, we refuse to ask for help, even though help is near and available to us.
People who refuse to ask for help face the many crises of their lives alone because of stubbornness or because they are ashamed to confess that they cannot help themselves.
How difficult it is to ask for help, even when help is freely available. We have grown up in a society that prizes independence and encourages self-reliance. The reason we refuse to open up to others and share our problems is because we are afraid we will be rejected and criticized.
It is true, there is no weapon more commonly used against people than rejection, scorn, and derision. There are people in this world whose goal in life is to hurt others. There are people who are happy when they cover others with shame so that they might succeed by the hurt of others. But not so with genuine Christians.
As Christians we are commanded to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). As Christians we must be ready to help and minister to others in the name of Christ. Many times we do not have all the answers to people’s problems and questions, nonetheless, we must commit ourselves to help one another out of Christian love.
Some people around us, people we know and love, may be hurting right now, silently asking for help. Some people have personal needs that require urgent care and a personal touch. As Christians, we are ready and willing to offer help to those in need.
But how can Christians minister and help those hurting unless they open up and let us know the ways by which we can help them. People needing help must be willing to let their needs and their problem be known to those who can help them.
Most Christians are ready to listen, to pray, and to extend a helping hand whenever they are asked to help. However, the person who is hurting must take the initiative and, like the psalmist, approach God or a trustful person and say, “help me.”
Some people choose to go through life alone, alone they hurt and suffer, alone they agonize in search of a solution, and when the solution to their problems is not forthcoming, they blame God, they leave the church, they cease having fellowship with other believers, and they hide in a world of their own creation. They hurt, and they hurt alone.
But hurting alone is not the solution. The Bible says that “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT).
If you, like the psalmist, are hurting today, you must go to God, open your heart to him and say, “help me.” Also, you can call your pastor, find a friend within your community of faith, talk to a person in whom you trust. Maybe the help you need is only one phone call away. Say with the psalmist, “help me.” Call for help and help will come.
Do not go through life alone.
Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
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Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 