Help?

Where does one turn when needing help?  When pained?  When angry?  When fearful?  When addicted?  When wounded?  When depressed?  When abandoned?  When pink slipped?  When gossiped about?  When overwhelmed?  When in the midst of a storm?  Where does one turn?

Some turn to…

Jack (Kennedy) – the White House; to government to get laws passed, get money, or for a pardon

Jack (-O-Lantern) – (Halloween) events, parties, ball games

Jack (the Ripper) – courts for cause and justice, community organizing/involvement

Jack (C. S. Lewis) – Narnia – escape into fantasy, video games, or movies

Jack in a bottle (Daniels) – drugs, drink, or meds

Jack in a Box – food

Jack Benny – entertainment

Jack-in-the-Box (surprise!) – adventure, travel, exploration

Jack (Kevorkian) – death now (suicide)

Jack Parr – late night TV, talk TV or radio, talk

Jack Ruby – take matters into one’s own hand (he murdered Lee Oswald)

Many turn to one Jack or another but none are the fix that gives life meaning and hope.

The only true, sure, deep, long-term, permanent fix is Jesus!

I Peter 5:7, Cast your cares on Him!  Why?  He cares for you. 

How much does He care?  Read the gospel of Mark!

Understand that His help and healing may not be what is your idea nor what is your ideal.  His help may be to give you strength and light to continue the journey through your valley or night.  But, understand that God is sovereign, always about ultimate good, all-wise, and all-powerful, so He can be fully trusted even in the pain and dark.  Because God is love, holy, and powerful, we should say as Jesus said, “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

The alternative is do it your way or to seek help looking to others – the Jacks above.  But that is not as simple as you might think.  I Peter 5:8 states that the devil goes about seeking to devour.  It is one thing for you to fight your battle, but it is greatly complicated by a force that wants you to fail!

So there are the two options before you, John 10:10, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

You can battle your need knowing that evil is out to steal, kill, and destroy you or you can submit to Jesus for a life of purpose and hope (again, there is no promise of no pain, no loss, or no death – but there is the promise of life!)

Why trust Jesus?  John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”  Because He laid down His life for the life of others and since He has already done the hard part – dying on that cross, it is assured that He will give the life needed now and in the future.

Yet, you must respond.  Jesus said, John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”  You must enter.  You must accept His invite and enter into His will and thus be saved and find His direction and provisions – His life.

Run to Jesus, bow before Him, ask but not demand, and accept His help (Mark 1:40). Turn to Jesus!