When I was considering what colleges to apply to, I had one criteria that was probably a little different than most. I cared about the school’s academics, extracurricular activities and residential living areas, but what I found myself repeating most often was that I wanted to go to a college that was far enough away that I wouldn’t be home every weekend but close enough that if my car broke down my dad could come and fix it. It was the last part of that equation that was especially important. If I encountered a mechanical problem I wanted to make sure that my dad could physically be there to give me the help that I knew I would need.
It may seem like an odd condition. After all, mechanics abound and I’m sure that if I chose a college that wasn’t within the designated proximity I could find someone who would be willing to fix my car. And my dad could have always discussed the problem over the phone and try to do some long-distance diagnostics. But what I knew then, even if I didn’t articulate it, is that nothing compares to having the physical presence of the one you trust to help you. My dad could have been my advisor and coach from afar, but he couldn’t actually open the hood of the car, take a look at the engine and get to work. I wanted to know that he would be there providing the assistance, not delegating it to another or providing advice so that I could do it on my home.
Unfortunately, I fear that many times I think God’s help is more like the long-distance dad than like the father who is physically there. I intellectually know that God is able to fix my problems, but instead of expecting Him to figuratively open the hood and get to work, I think that He will provide some appropriate advice that will allow me to dig in and do it myself. Yet Psalm 46:1 tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” He is not merely providing assistance remotely, hoping that we can figure out what we need to do. He is present, providing us real help in our time of need.
This distinction is important for at least two reasons. First, when I ask God for help I need to have the expectation that He may choose to directly intervene in the situation. I shouldn’t merely anticipate that He will tell me what I should do; instead, He may rectify the problem Himself. This should change not only what I look for when I await solutions; it should also change how I pray when I’m faced with difficulties and concerns.
Secondly, the fact that God is a present help should change my attitude to problems to begin with. It would have been one thing for my car to break down and for me to be able to call my dad and know he’d be there. It would have been an entirely different thing if my dad was in the car with me when the problem occurred. I would have no need for panic or worry; the one who could rectify the situation was right there. He would know exactly what happened and what needed to be done to fix it. He could also provide assurance that everything would be alright, So it is with God when we face breakdowns on our own journey.
Just because God is a “present help” doesn’t mean that we should stop seeking His assistance, assuming that He will know if we need it. If my dad was in the car and it started having problems, I would still ask him to intervene, even if my need for his assistance seemed obvious. Instead, the fact that God is not providing His help from afar should make us seek Him even more diligently, knowing as we do so that He usable to immediately and directly intervene.
