There When You Need It

D

uring the American Revolutionary War of 1776, a certain group of soldiers earned the title "Minute Men" because of their ability and willingness to be ready at a minute's notice to protect and defend their communities against enemy attacks.  No matter their location, these men could be equipped and ready for battle as soon as the word was given.

The town of Kings Mountain, in North Carolina, is the sight of a battle fought during the Revolutionary War.  The town is located just a few miles from my hometown of Cherryville and it provides the subject of today's tidbit.  In 1976, the United States celebrated two hundred years of independence.  Towns and communities all over the country planned celebrations in order to commemorate the bicentennial.  Kings Mountain was no exception, especially since it was the sight of a Revolutionary War battle.  Nothing was ignored during the town's preparations; even the fire hydrants received special attention.  They were painted to resemble little soldiers dressed in either British or American war uniforms.

As I rode through Kings Mountain one afternoon with my dad, I remember being captivated by the fire hydrants.  These little sentinels stood guard over street corners, intersections, and alley ways, protecting homes, businesses, and churches.  In the event of a fire, these little guys had to be ready at a moment's notice to douse the flames threatening not only buildings, but people’s lives as well.  Although mostly overlooked on a daily basis, whenever they were needed, they were always ready, providing protection and assistance any time of the day or night.

In Psalm 46:1 we are given a vivid picture of God's readiness to help us in our times of need.  Unlike the Minute Men soldiers, though, God is always present when we need help.  We don't have to send for him, we don't have to dispatch a letter to headquarters requesting his assistance, and we don't have to wait for his arrival.  Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” The psalmist recognizes three great truths in this passage of scripture.  The first is that there will be trouble in life.  So often, I encounter people who believe that once they become a Christian, life's problems are over.  Nothing could be farther from the truth!  Jesus promised us that we would have trials in this world.  Serving God does not mean the absence of difficulties but it means we have the strength to go through them.

The second truth is that our strength and protection is in God.  A person calls for help because he/she doesn't have the capacity to avoid danger.  Help always comes from someone else, from outside ourselves and the Christian's ONLY source of strength is God.  God also protects us by providing a safe haven for us to run to in times of difficulty.  We hide in his strength and depend on him to supply all our needs.  The very fact we can't supply things for ourselves underlines our NEED for God.

The third and last truth is that God is ever present.  We do not serve a God who is light years away.  We don't have to send a letter, and we never have to leave a message on his answering machine.  On the contrary, God is as close to us as the beating of our hearts.  He is always present, always near, always beside us no matter how difficult or how joyous the circumstances surrounding us.  His promise was never to leave us nor forsake us.  For this promise to be true, God must be always present with us, just like the psalmist stated thousands of years ago.

The next time you drive down a city street, notice the number of fire hydrants you pass.  They are placed at set intervals to provide protection when danger rears its head.  They are always present, ever ready to fight the danger of fire and to prevent it from getting out of control.  Their sole purpose is to provide enough water to destroy a fire before it has the opportunity itself to be destructive.

This is what the psalmist was trying to communicate to us.  All along the road of life, God has placed his protection at our disposal.  It is always there; ready to put out the flames of temptation, the flames of trials, the flames of emotional and spiritual despair, and the flames of suffering. His supply of strength and protection for his children is never depleted and he can be called upon at a moment's notice to help us in the most difficult and challenging of circumstances.  So, the next time you pass a lowly fire hydrant, remember God's promise to be a constant and ever present source of strength and help for us.  He is there when you need him, and you need him every moment of the day!