My Dear Friends in the Faith:
If water boils at 100 degrees Celsius this middle aged man was on the front eye of the stove and was about to boil over because he had already been running hot. Here he is in his early 50's and at first glance he has it all together. But, behind the mask of his upper middle class persona and facade he was as dangerous as a land mine in Iraq.
He comes into my office after taking the time to schedule an appointment and before I can close the door good he belts out a manly holla that was enough to raise the deceased. I know most men don't yell unless it's a game on the tube and their team is winning. But, this brother had to let one go and he did. I sat looking at him like Ms. Celie sat looking at Mister trying to cook breakfast for Shug Avery in the movie the Color Purple. In short, I did not say a word I just watched. And when he finally calmed down he said, "Rev. I'm sorry but I had to holla!"
Has it ever happened to you before? Has life ever made you want to just holla? Wait before you answer let me tell you what made this grown man holla. He had been married for 14 years and his wife decides that she's not happy; he's been working two jobs but it's just not enough; they both have children from previous relationships and her son does not want to follow the rules of the house but his son is expected to; money comes into the house but as soon as it comes in it goes out; and, folk on his job are really giving him the blues so his job had been stressful. On top of all of this, he is the one in the family that carries the load. If it is broken, he is supposed to fix it, if it is down he is supposed to lift it and if it is due he is supposed to pay it. When all was finished he lost it and had to holla just to let off some steam before he blew a gasket.
Okay, now back to the question. Has it ever happened to you? Have you ever had to bear the load for the whole family and life made you scream? Marvin Gaye, that soulful song bird from the 70's said it best. He said "it's me want to holla and throw up both of my hands!" I hope that there are those of you who are reading this devotional that are stressed to the max, tired and frustrated at what is happening in your life and on the verge of just losing it. If that is you today, then consider this message to be a Word from God for you that has been sent to comfort, encourage, and bless you in your time of need.
When life makes you want to holla there is a Hebrew hymn found in the book of Psalms that will lighten a heavy load, strengthen you when you are weak and guide you when you are lost. Here's what the Psalm says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2, KJV). Now this is healing and helpful. The Psalmist makes it clear that in the midst of current circumstances whatever they may be God is there and He alone is the one who is going to take care of you. So here's the devotional question for you to ponder as we share this moment today, what should you know about what you are dealing with and going through that can keep you when you really want to holla?
First of all, know that your present problem is not a permanent predicament. For some of you reading this devotional it has been smooth sailing. To you I say give God the glory while you are in the sunshine. But, for others it has been crazy to say the least. For those of you that have found moments of difficulty to endure, remember this no storm stays! They are always passing through. The best news of the day is this, where you are now is not where you will end up! Your current location is not your final destination. The Psalmist is looking upwards at hills and mountains. Antithetical Wisdom tells me that if he is in a position to have to look up then he is down. In short, he is in the valley at a low point. But, that's where he is now and it is not where he is going to end up! How do we know this? Because he says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills....." Did you get it? Here's what he is saying I may be low right now but my aim is high and I am on my way to the hill country. Yes you may be in a valley now but when you have God on your side you can say that I'm my way to the mountain top!
Secondly, know that your hills are big but your God is much bigger. When ever life makes you want to holla it is because we have a big problem with a small God. But, when life makes you rejoice it is because you have a big problem with an even bigger God! The text says "from whence cometh my help." A phrase like this is called a metonymy. It suggests a query and not a statement. It should be better translated like this "does my help come from the mountain?" The obvious answer is no. But here's the shouting news for those who have really big mountains in your life. Your God is bigger than your mountain is. Just like you can hold a pebble in your hand God can hold you and your mountains in His! Check this out, NASA scientists contend that there are an estimated 140 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. For us it is still too innumerable to measure. Yet your God is big enough to give each of them a name! Now if He knows the name of a star in the galaxy you know for certain that He knows the names of His children that He died to save! Yes, we have big mountains, but relax you have an even bigger God and He is in control!
And lastly, know that the force of your life is the source of your living. Can we just be really honest for a second? Where did your help come from the last time you had an issue that you could not fix or a problem that you could not solve? Who helped you the last time no one else was there to assist you? Here's your answer in total honesty...The Lord. The hymn says "my help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and the earth." The term "help" should really be translated strength. The idea is that it is not your strength that keeps you but it is God's power that holds you together. Now here's a good devotional question to conclude with. How much strength does God have? He has enough of it to make heaven and earth. The word "made" here is awsar. It means to put something together. In short, God hooked up an earth, gave it a home in a galaxy, and made the galaxy give Him glory. This same God is the source of your life. He put air in your lungs, seeing in your eyes and life in your body. And, believe it or not, He is not just hooking up an earth and holding a galaxy, but He is hooking you up and taking care of you as read this devotional! He is your source and He has everything that you will ever need!!!
Yes, sometimes life can make you want to holla. But, there are times that the goodness of God can make you want to holla too! Have you ever just paused to consider just how good God has been to you? Have you taken the time to think about all of the things that He has done for you? Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that it was the Lord keeping you all of the time? When you pause long enough the grace of God, the kindness of His blessings and the benefit of His goodness is enough to make you want to holla! Be honest, you want to holla right now don't you? Me too! God has been kind and He is going to take care of you because He alone is your help!
If water boils at 100 degrees Celsius this middle aged man was on the front eye of the stove and was about to boil over because he had already been running hot. Here he is in his early 50's and at first glance he has it all together. But, behind the mask of his upper middle class persona and facade he was as dangerous as a land mine in Iraq.
He comes into my office after taking the time to schedule an appointment and before I can close the door good he belts out a manly holla that was enough to raise the deceased. I know most men don't yell unless it's a game on the tube and their team is winning. But, this brother had to let one go and he did. I sat looking at him like Ms. Celie sat looking at Mister trying to cook breakfast for Shug Avery in the movie the Color Purple. In short, I did not say a word I just watched. And when he finally calmed down he said, "Rev. I'm sorry but I had to holla!"
Has it ever happened to you before? Has life ever made you want to just holla? Wait before you answer let me tell you what made this grown man holla. He had been married for 14 years and his wife decides that she's not happy; he's been working two jobs but it's just not enough; they both have children from previous relationships and her son does not want to follow the rules of the house but his son is expected to; money comes into the house but as soon as it comes in it goes out; and, folk on his job are really giving him the blues so his job had been stressful. On top of all of this, he is the one in the family that carries the load. If it is broken, he is supposed to fix it, if it is down he is supposed to lift it and if it is due he is supposed to pay it. When all was finished he lost it and had to holla just to let off some steam before he blew a gasket.
Okay, now back to the question. Has it ever happened to you? Have you ever had to bear the load for the whole family and life made you scream? Marvin Gaye, that soulful song bird from the 70's said it best. He said "it's me want to holla and throw up both of my hands!" I hope that there are those of you who are reading this devotional that are stressed to the max, tired and frustrated at what is happening in your life and on the verge of just losing it. If that is you today, then consider this message to be a Word from God for you that has been sent to comfort, encourage, and bless you in your time of need.
When life makes you want to holla there is a Hebrew hymn found in the book of Psalms that will lighten a heavy load, strengthen you when you are weak and guide you when you are lost. Here's what the Psalm says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2, KJV). Now this is healing and helpful. The Psalmist makes it clear that in the midst of current circumstances whatever they may be God is there and He alone is the one who is going to take care of you. So here's the devotional question for you to ponder as we share this moment today, what should you know about what you are dealing with and going through that can keep you when you really want to holla?
First of all, know that your present problem is not a permanent predicament. For some of you reading this devotional it has been smooth sailing. To you I say give God the glory while you are in the sunshine. But, for others it has been crazy to say the least. For those of you that have found moments of difficulty to endure, remember this no storm stays! They are always passing through. The best news of the day is this, where you are now is not where you will end up! Your current location is not your final destination. The Psalmist is looking upwards at hills and mountains. Antithetical Wisdom tells me that if he is in a position to have to look up then he is down. In short, he is in the valley at a low point. But, that's where he is now and it is not where he is going to end up! How do we know this? Because he says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills....." Did you get it? Here's what he is saying I may be low right now but my aim is high and I am on my way to the hill country. Yes you may be in a valley now but when you have God on your side you can say that I'm my way to the mountain top!
Secondly, know that your hills are big but your God is much bigger. When ever life makes you want to holla it is because we have a big problem with a small God. But, when life makes you rejoice it is because you have a big problem with an even bigger God! The text says "from whence cometh my help." A phrase like this is called a metonymy. It suggests a query and not a statement. It should be better translated like this "does my help come from the mountain?" The obvious answer is no. But here's the shouting news for those who have really big mountains in your life. Your God is bigger than your mountain is. Just like you can hold a pebble in your hand God can hold you and your mountains in His! Check this out, NASA scientists contend that there are an estimated 140 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. For us it is still too innumerable to measure. Yet your God is big enough to give each of them a name! Now if He knows the name of a star in the galaxy you know for certain that He knows the names of His children that He died to save! Yes, we have big mountains, but relax you have an even bigger God and He is in control!
And lastly, know that the force of your life is the source of your living. Can we just be really honest for a second? Where did your help come from the last time you had an issue that you could not fix or a problem that you could not solve? Who helped you the last time no one else was there to assist you? Here's your answer in total honesty...The Lord. The hymn says "my help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and the earth." The term "help" should really be translated strength. The idea is that it is not your strength that keeps you but it is God's power that holds you together. Now here's a good devotional question to conclude with. How much strength does God have? He has enough of it to make heaven and earth. The word "made" here is awsar. It means to put something together. In short, God hooked up an earth, gave it a home in a galaxy, and made the galaxy give Him glory. This same God is the source of your life. He put air in your lungs, seeing in your eyes and life in your body. And, believe it or not, He is not just hooking up an earth and holding a galaxy, but He is hooking you up and taking care of you as read this devotional! He is your source and He has everything that you will ever need!!!
Yes, sometimes life can make you want to holla. But, there are times that the goodness of God can make you want to holla too! Have you ever just paused to consider just how good God has been to you? Have you taken the time to think about all of the things that He has done for you? Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that it was the Lord keeping you all of the time? When you pause long enough the grace of God, the kindness of His blessings and the benefit of His goodness is enough to make you want to holla! Be honest, you want to holla right now don't you? Me too! God has been kind and He is going to take care of you because He alone is your help!
Your Friend and His Servant,
Dr. John R. Adolph, Pastor
Dr. John R. Adolph, Pastor
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