June 19 – He will not allow my foot to slip

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep.  (Psalm 121:1-4  HCSB)

This is the second of a series of psalms called the Songs of Ascents that the Israelites would sing as they travelled to the Temple in Jerusalem on one of the three annual feasts — Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. People would sing this and thirteen other psalms as they made the strenuous trek to the House of God, speaking of their troubles, their enemies, God’s power, His deliverance, and their worship of Him. They must have even sung them as they walked through the streets of Jerusalem and as they entered the Temple. As you meditate on these words and have faith for them to come true in your life, remember that they have already come true for countless pilgrims on the dusty roads of Israel, just like they will come true for you.

Our help does not come from mountain hideouts, from reserves of money in the bank, from family and friends, or from physical strength — our help comes from the God who made all things…. the Grand Canyon at 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and 1 mile deep; Mount Everest, at 29,029 feet above sea level where climbers have to use bottled oxygen to breathe; the Great Barrier Reef along the coast of Australia which is the largest structure in the world created by living organisms; Victoria Falls at a width of 5604 feet with the worlds largest sheet of falling water; and Alpha Centauri, the closest star to earth at a distance of 4.37 light years.

This mighty God can be trusted to take care of us. If he can create and manage nature and the universe in all its magnificence, surely He will keep our feet from slipping — we are the center of all He has made. The secret is for us to put our faith in God and trust that He is going to do what we’ve asked Him to. Faith doesn’t need to see things changing, it doesn’t rely on what is visible. Faith is certain of what is not seen, it forces things into existence.

Isn’t it great (and even comical that God feels He needs to say it) that we have a God who will not fall asleep on us? We can be sure no matter when or where we need His help that He is awake and attentive to our cry.