Heavenly Aid
Who do you turn to when in need?
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, so that all may see and know, all may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it. Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, so that we may consider them, and that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be afraid and terrified. You, indeed, are nothing and your work is nothing at all; whoever chooses you is an abomination. I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun he was summoned by name. He shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay. Who declared it from the beginning, so that we might know, and beforehand, so that we might say, "He is right"? There was no one who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words. I first have declared it to Zion, and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good tidings. But when I look there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer. No, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their images are empty wind. - Isaiah 41:17-29
Isaiah tells us there is only one God and that God is the one one who cares for us. No one else will come to our aid, unless guided by God.
We hear the expression, "God will provide," but what does that mean for us?
Does it mean we need not try to provide for ourselves?
If what God provides is the means, access, a path to follow, then it is up to us to do the work.
If what God provides is someone to coach us, to show us how to do something, or to tell us what we need to hear, then shouldn't we listen and follow those instructions?
I believe God sends us people who can help us, but He doesn't always make it clear who that will be or how the help may come.
So, with faith, we need to believe the help is here already, and our job is to discover it.
The feast may be abundantly prepared, but it may be slightly out of sight.
God may be expecting us to go and search for it.
More to come...