"God our HELPER and Secret Hiding Place (God's TLC)"

Ps. 103:13, NIRV

     Sometimes little words in the Bible slip past us until the

Holy Spirit brings them into sharp focus in a situation of

need.  This was the case for us earlier this year as we

encountered computer glitches, roadblocks, and being

“on hold” on the phone for hours (then inexplicably

disconnected). 

All this was in regard to obtaining appointments to

receive the Covid 19 vaccine.  One of us has a preexisting

condition, so it was especially important to be persistent.  

     Of course, we knew that the situation was much more

frustrating--even scary--for others experiencing this crisis:

we had not lost loved ones or jobs or been sick or hungry. 

Nevertheless, we were frustrated too.  It was then that we

rediscovered a name for God that appears often in

scripture, although we’d not previously focused on it: God

is our “HELPER."  

(We also found it a bit ironic that we were specifically asking

God for “help” with modern technology--even while knowing that

God is surely up to this too!) 

Thus, today we focus on this simple love-word "HELPER"--

for it is, indeed, a love-word! We will also focus upon

similar biblical imagery that overlaps with it.

     To show that “HELPER"--and similar terms--can be used

as deeply intimate love-words, we offer an example in a

prayer:

(With reflection upon Ps. 23, 25:6, 40:11, 54:4, 103:4, 119:77;

1 Pet. 2:25, Jn. 14:26; GNT, CEB, KJV, AMP.)

      Previously we discussed the intimate imagery of a God of

tender loving care (TLC): “tender mercy,” “lovingkindness,”

and “care” in biblical language.  We noted how frequently such

words or phrases are repeated in scripture.[1]

     Just as the imagery of God’s TLC traverses the pages of

scripture, this image of God our “Helper;" does as well. 

For example, in the Book of Hebrews we read: “So we

say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not

be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?’” (13:6, NIV).

  And in John, Jesus says: “I will ask the Father, and He will

give you another Helper [the Holy Spirit], so that He may be with

you forever …” (14:16, NASB, NKJV). (Numerous other passages

that speak of the “Helper” or “God, our help" can be found in the

notes.[2])

     Similar to “God, our Helper,” in biblical imagery God is also called

our “Mighty One,” our “hero,” the One who is in our midst, our

“loyal one, the One who is with us,” etc.[3]

  Thus we read: “‘... Do not lose courage!’  The Lord your God

is with you. He is a hero who saves you.  He happily rejoices

over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with

shouts of joy”; Zeph. 3:16-17, GW.

     Likewise, this Helper God is referred to as our “keeper,” our

“tower of strength,” our “deliverer,” our “secret hideout,” the God

who is “graciously loving,” and our God who “remains near.”[4] 

     Beyond this we find multiple other biblical images with

overlapping connotations.  These speak of the shelter of God’s

wings; the shadow of the Almighty; being hidden in the shadow,

palm, or hollow of God’s hand; the power of God’s right hand to

help; God’s Spirit that hovers over creation and us; God’s caring

eye; the cover of God’s feathers or Presence; God’s awning,

dwelling, tent, or tabernacle that hides us in safety; and God’s

wings or pinions that carry us.[5] 

     Indeed, the Holy Spirit has given us almost an embarrassment

of riches when it comes to biblical imagery of this type.  In addition

to the above these riches of imagery includes God as our refuge,

shield, fortress, Rock eternal, High Tower, stronghold, shelter,

place of safety, citadel, pavilion, etc.[6] 

 

     Another kind of imagery for God’s help or shelter (that has

rightfully gained greater attention in recent years) is mother-like love.

For example: "Can she [a mother] stop having tender love for the

child who was born to her?  She might forget her child.  But I [the

Lord] will not forget you” (Isa. 49:15); and “As a mother comforts

her child, I [the Lord] will comfort you" (Isa. 66:13).  Or, “I have

made myself calm and content like a young child in its mother’s

arms” (Ps. 131:2; all NIRV). (See further discussion of such

imagery in earlier posts.[7]) 

     Furthermore--also representing God’s abundant help--we find

occasional discussion of angels that guide, shelter, and lift us.

Jesus himself said to his disciples: "See that you don't look down

on one of these little ones [children]. Here is what I tell you. Their

angels in heaven are always with my Father who is in heaven."[8]

    The images above are sometimes represented as a great secret--

an intimate secret hiding place--that keeps us safe. Thus, in Psalm

32:7 we read: “You are my secret hideout!  You protect me from

trouble.  You surround me with songs of rescue!”; CEB.

  Or in Psalm 27:5: “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in

His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock”; NKJV.  (Also see Ps. 31:20, 32:7,

61:2-4; Isa. 32:2.) 

     It is important to remember that all of these images are meant to

be part of a relationship--just as the TLC imagery that we’ve

discussed previously is there for those who choose to stay close to

the Shepherd of Love.[9] These images, too, are part of a living,

loving relationship.

It’s a “choice” to acknowledge that we are welcomed into a

caring relationship of amazing Grace; it’s a “choice” to abide in the

Presence or the shadow of the Almighty. (Although, at the same

time, because Grace is always knocking at our door, one can

always make this “choice" immediately--at any time, in any

place, or in any condition, no matter how low one might feel

[see Rev. 3:20].) 

     In an earlier post we discussed the importance of meditating

upon images of God’s loving care--dipping and dying ourselves

in such images until they intensely color the days, hours, and

moments of our lives.[10]

     Lorraine remembers doing this during a hospital stay in which

doctors were not sure what was going on.  Shortly before she

had written this poem asking God to tent with her (us)--especially

pertinent in a crisis.  She repeated this poem many times in the

middle of the night during that hospital stay (as she also

remembered the scriptures that inspired the poem):

'Tent' with me, Lord, and “all shall be well”!

Hide me under Your 'awnings.'

Gather me under Your 'wings' as a chick.

Speak to me of Your care.

All shall be well if You are here—

If not, there is no meaning.

Ask and it shall be given; seek and ye shall find . . .

I seek, Lord, my heart flies to You.    

(With reflection upon: “For he shelters me under his

awnings in times of trouble; hides me deep in his

tent ... "; Ps. 27:5, JB. Also see Mt. 7:7, 23:37.  And

note Julian of Norwich’s “[M]ightily trust in Him; and

all shall be well.”[11]) 

     All these images of God as the “Helper,” “Mighty One,” “hero,”

great shelter in the storm, ONE who hides us in a secret "sacred

tent," etc. are also images for the great divine romance of Heaven

for us--as discussed previously[12]

  The greatest romance of all is about ONE who never fails to love

us, to be there for us, to shelter and help us . . . tenderly--if only

we diligently reach for such help.  

 

     Some ask if a sincere walk of faith is hard.  Our answer is both yes

and no. Life can be hard!  Living authentically is often hard!  Being

true to a sense of mission can be hard!  Living a life where we

extend genuine love can be hard.  Even psychology tells us this

is so in any genuinely lived life.[13]   Even the children’s masterpiece

The Velveteen Rabbit tells us this. [14] 

But what is really, truly hard is trying to live life without a “Helper,”

a Divine lover, a Companion,[15] “hero,” "Mighty One”--someOne

under whose wings we can shelter in the storm, and a Brother

who has paved the way and absorbed and conquered all that

is dark in the world and in “me” (Heb. 2:11, 4:14-5:10).  It

would truly put fear into our hearts to try to live a life without all

that is promised in such LOVE.

  Paradoxically, we believe the life of faith ends up being

less challenging in the final analysis than the “self-led” way; for

one never travels without the great divine romance of Heaven

for us and a “HELPER,” who is greater than anything in this

lonely--and sometimes mean--world. 

 

     Charles H. Spurgeon writes: “‘The things which are

impossible with men [women] are possible with God’

(Luke 18:27). … [T]he unfailing Helper [lives]. …

Beloved, what is your desperate problem? What heavy

trial hangs over you this evening? Bring it to the mercy

seat.  The God of the prophets lives.”[16]

     At the same time we would balance Spurgeon’s words above 

with those from another old saint.  Oswald Chambers writes: “Do 

not look for God to come in any particular way, but look for 

Him.”[17]  Why?  Because to look for God to come in a particular 

way (our way, of course!) would be to play God.  It is natural to 

prayerfully offer God some preferred options and hopes, but in

the end we must let God be God and allow the Helper to truly be

our beloved “HELPER.” (Also for balance see out previous post

about God's care in the story of Joseph in Genesis.[18])

Furthermore, God is in it for the long run; God does not

operate according to the demands of our "instant this,"

"instant that" culture. Here again, we let God, our Helper,

be God.

Thoughts from Evelyn Underhill also add balance here.

Having studied spiritual giants for much of her life, she notes

that the Holy Spirit seem to prefer to come to us in what we

might think of as rather ordinary means:

We should think of the whole power and splendour of God as

always pressing in upon our small souls.…  But that power and

splendour mostly reach us in homely and inconspicuous ways; in

the sacraments, and in our prayers, joys and sorrows and in all

opportunities of loving service.  This means that one of the most

important things … is the eagerness and confidence with which

we throw ourselves open to … [God’s] perpetual coming.  There

should always be [in this] more waiting than striving …[19]

    This is similar to the thought of the wonderful spiritual

writer Howard Thurman who says: "Even God can't [respond/help]

unless you give him a hand" by making yourself present.[20]

[A note about Help from God when our struggles are not so

much out there but seem to be deep within our own soul: when

we experience an inner storm or "unpeace," as Julian of

Norwich calls it. Most of the old saints tell us they have

passed through such times, and they also give us advice on

how to hang in there. All thoughts for today apply to this topic

as well! See this topic addressed more fully in another

post.[21]]

          

     Below we offer personal reflections (meditations) on today's

theme.  This is followed by additional biblical passages that help us

meditate upon (dip and dye) ourselves in the Helper's LOVE:

 A prayer--living in God’s CARE:

      (With reflection upon: “[F]or the Lord holds them with his hand”;

Ps. 37: 24, TLB.  And: God “hid me in the hollow [shadow] of his hand . . .”;

Isa. 49:2, NET, NIV.  Also see Ps. 91:1.) 

 

A prayer (of storms and rainbows):

   

(With reflection upon Ruth 2:12, Isa. 25:4-5, Ps. 31:18-20; Gen. 9:12-13.) 

A meditation--LEANing into vast LOVE:

     (With reflection upon Mk. 2:17; Jn. 14:16, 1 Pet. 2:25, CEB;

Heb. 13:6, NIV; Ps. 37:3-7, AMPC; and terms from spiritual classics.[22])

From my journal (personal reflections at a difficult time): 

Don’t be uptight, Silly . . . don't hold your breath. . . . You have

zero control! . . . Give it over to the “Mighty One”--the “hero”--

the ONE who is “LOVING-KINDNESS”--

the Shepherd of your Soul.   

Ask God to take the situation . . . to work for a transformation. . . . 

That's all you can do! . . . Now ask . . . ask again . . . SEEK, 

KNOCK, ASK!!!  [23]

     (With reflection upon Lk. 11: 5-13, 18: 1-13; 1 Pet. 2:25; Rom. 8:27-28.)

A meditation upon Isa. 32:2--God our secret; God our refuge: 

     (Quoting and paraphrasing Isa. 32:2.[24])

    (Additionally, see Ps. 46:1, 54:4, 91:1, ASV, KJV; Ps. 119:77,

AMPC. And again, see a preview of another kind of storm in

which we seek refuge in God: an inner storm. This preview--of

a topic that we hope to address more fully in the future--is

found here after the Notes.)

      

A Julian of Norwich proverb/teaching: [25]

     

     

       "My mercy is established 

           forever; my faithfulness will 

              stand as long as the heavens"; 

                                 Ps. 89:3; NABRE 

Meditating upon Jesus' own words (Jn. 14:26, AMP) as he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit:

 

Sometimes "helpers" come to us in unusual ways:

“Entertaining Angels Unawares”

     “[S]ome have entertained angels unawares.” - Heb. 13:2, RSV

An angel lights on a fragile bough

and begins a delicate dance.       

                    

She speaks to us of mystery 

and of elusive wonder;

then almost seems to sing some tale

of sweet Infinity

before she flees—her mission done—

to find a place of rest.

There she will become . . . next year . . . 

a simple milkweed growing

a thousand budding angels

to speak to someone else.         

 * * *

     Next we offer a variety of Beautiful Scriptural Images

that we can dip and dye ourselves in (meditate upon).

Especially note the uniqueness of the last passage: as always

God’s hope for us (regarding such sheltering and helping

LOVE) is that we will learn this Love so deeply that it

permeates our being and, thus, we will also pass it on.  

- “Behold, God is my helper and ally; The Lord is the sustainer of my

soul [my upholder]”; Ps. 54:4, AMP. 

- “I have called upon You, O God, for You will hear me; incline Your

ear to me and hear my speech.  Show Your marvelous loving-

kindness, O You Who save by Your right hand those who trust

and take refuge in You from those who rise up against them. 

Keep and guard me as the pupil [or 'apple’] of Your eye; hide me

in the shadow of Your wings”; Ps. 17:6-8, AMPC (also see NIV).  

- “[M]ay you be richly rewarded by Yahweh, the God of Israel, under

whose wings you’ve come for refuge”; Ruth 2:12, NJB.

- “How lovely are Your tabernacles [or ‘dwelling place’ or ‘home’], O

Lord of hosts! . . .  Yes, the sparrow has found a house, and the

swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young--even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell

in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your

praises all the day long. . . .  [Those] whose strength is in

You. . . .”; Ps. 84: 1-3-4, AMPC (also see NIV, MSG).

- “How great is the goodness that you’ve reserved for those who

honor you, that you commit to those who take refuge in you--

in the sight of everyone!  You hide them in the shelter of your

wings, safe from human scheming.  You conceal them in a

shelter, safe from accusing tongues”; Ps. 31:18-20, CEB.

- “Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all

times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him.  God is a

refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). 

Selah[24] [pause, and calmly think of (meditate upon) that]! ..." ;

Ps. 62:8, AMPC.

- “Living in the Most High’s shelter, camping in the Almighty’s

shade [or the ‘shadow of the Almighty’], I say to the Lord, ‘You

are my refuge, my stronghold!  You are my God--the one I trust!”;

Ps. 91:1-2, CEB (also see NIV).

- Our God "Yahweh acts only in faithful love. He is close to all

who call upon him, all who call on him from the heart";

Ps. 145:17-18, NJB. 

- “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I

will counsel you with my loving eye on you”; Ps. 32:8, NIV.

- “You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from

trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance;

Ps. 32:7, AMPC.

- “[God] my rock . . . My LOVINGKINDNESS, and my fortress, My

high tower, and my deliverer; My shield, and he in whom I take

refuge . . .”; Ps. 144:1-2, ASV, WEB (capitalization added).

-  “You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip”;

2 Sam. 22:37, NKJV.

- “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send

in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your

remembrance all that I said to you”; Jesus words in

Jn. 14:26, NKJV.

- “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy

in distress, a hiding place from the storm, a shade from the heat”;

Isa. 25:4, CEB.

- Note that there is also a pass it on to others aspect to

such verses:  

Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I

was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was

a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves

and welcomed and entertained and lodged [sheltered/

helped] Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick

and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was

in prison and you came to see Me. … Truly I

tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least

[in earthly estimation] of these My brethren [sisters],

you did it for Me”; Mt. 25:35-40, AMPC.

 

* 🌈 *

 

(See additional blog posts after the “Notes” in “Older/Newer Posts.”

……………….

 

Notes: 

1. See Ps. 25:6, 40:11, 51:1, 69:16, 103:4; ASV, KJV, WEB;

Ps. 119:77, 156; Lam. 3:32; AMPC (special passages that include

both “tender mercies” and “lovingkindness” and imply care).  Also

see this discussed in “God’s ‘Extra-ordinary’ LOVE WORD:

‘Lovingkindness’ (‘Chesed’) & TLC"; https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2019/06/ps.html

(for those in Catholic tradition, see Note 11 in the web address 

above--in regard to these special words in various translations).  

For numerous passages regarding “care,” see “‘TLC’: God’s Tender

Loving CARE”;

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2019/01/tlc-gods-tender-loving-care.html

2. For God our “Helper” or our “help” note: Ps. 30:10, 54:4,

118:7, Jn. 14:26, 15: 26-27, Ex. 18:4, 2 Chron. 14:11.  Also

see Ps. 22:19, 27:9, 33:20, 40:17, 46:1, 70:5, 121:2, 124:8,

146:5, Isa. 41:10, 13 (all KJV, NASB, ASV, or WEB).  (Note:

in regard to frequent use of the ancient KJV translation of

the Bible here, Cambridge University Press writes,

“Its powerful, majestic style has made it a literary classic …”;

https://www.cambridge.org/bibles/bible-versions. 

Also, the KJV is known for its highly poetic quality.)

3. Zeph. 3:17, MEV, GW; Ps. 144: 1-3, CEB.

4. Heb. 13:6, NIV; 1 Pet. 2:25, GNT, RSV; Ps. 61:3-5, 32:7, CEB;

Ps. 144:2, NIV, VOICE; Ps. 145:17-18, ISV.

5. Ruth 2:12; Ps. 61:4, AMPC, CEB; Ps. 91:1, 4, 9, KJV, ASV,

NKJV; Isa. 49:2, CEB, NET, NIRV; Gen. 1:2, KJV, NIV, NKJV; Ps. 32:8,

CEB; Ps. 17:6-8, AMPC, NIV; Ps. 91:4, KJV, ASV, NKJV, NIRV; Ps. 27:5, JB; Ps. 31:20, NKJV.

6. Ps. 91: 1, 2, 4, KJV, ASV, NKJV, NIRV; Isa. 26:4, NIV; Ps. 46:7, AMP; Ps. 144:2, CEB, VOICE; Ps. 27:5, ASV, WEB. 

(For additional terms for shelter and care, see Ps. 32:6-8, 61: 2-5, CEB;

Ps. 91:1-16, KJV, ASV, NIRV; Ps. 144:1-2, ASV, WEB, NJB;

Ps. 86:1-17; 119:114-117.) 

7. See “Missing Sacred Tenderness and Missing Women’s Voices”; 

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2015/03/missing-sacred-tenderness-and-missing.htm  Also “Sacred Tenderness - Lost in Translation";

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2015/02/sacred-tenderness-lost-in-translation.html

8. Mt. 18:10, NIRV; also see Ps. 91:11; Dan. 6:22; Lk. 22:43; Heb. 1:7;

Gen. 21:17.

9. See "The 'Shepherd of Love'--An Enduring Image of God's Tender Care";

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-shepherd-of-love-and-divine-romance.html  and "Can We Hinder the 'Shepherd of Love'; Can We Hinder God?"; 

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2018/08/can-we-hinder-shepherd-of-love-can-we.html

10. See “Meditation upon God’s LOVE Warms Us, Enlightens Us, Helps Us ‘Pass it On’”;

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2018/04/meditation-upon-gods-love-warms-us.html

11. Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, ed. Grace Warrack

(London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1901, 1949), p. 170 (Chap. 68). 

12. See “The 'Great Divine Romance of Heaven' for us & its Frequent Neglect”;

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-great-sacred-romance-and-its.html

13. E.g., see the opening lines of M. Scott Peck’s bestseller The Road Less

Traveled (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978) or see this theme consistently

in Carl Jung’s autobiography of his own journey, C. G. Jung, Memories,

Dreams, Reflections, ed. and recorded by Aniela Jaffé, trans. Richard and

Clara Winston, (New York: Vintage, Random House, 1961).

14. Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit (New York: George H. Doran

Co., 1922).

15. See Jn. 14:16, CEB and “Traveling Companion--A Tender Image”; 

http://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2015/04/traveling-companion-tender-image_23.html

16. Charles H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, ed. Roy H. Clarke (Nashville:

Thomas Nelson, 1994), devotion for Jan. 13.

17. Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (New York: Dodd,

Mead & Company, 1935), p. 25.

18. See the second web site address in Note 1.

19. Evelyn Underhill, The Fruits of the Spirit, compiled by Roger L. Roberts (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse, 1982), p. 50.

20. Howard Thurman, The Growing Edge, quoted in Rueben P. Job

and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other

Servants (Nashville, The Upper Room, 1983), p. 403.

21. See “The ‘Fickle’ Weather of the Human Soul, God’s TLC & Advice

from the Old Saints: Julian of Norwich, Luther, St. Ignatius, etc.”;

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-fickle-weather-of-human-soul-gods.html

(also see a brief segment addressing this topic after the Notes for today).

22. See John Ruysbroek’s divine embrace in The Spiritual

Espousals; Charles Wesley’s hymn “Jesus Lover of my Soul”;

Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, ed. Grace

Warrack, p. 142 (Chap. 58).

22. Meditations, prayer/poetry/proverbs or journaling by Lorraine B. Eshleman.

(Also see Ps. 25:6, AMPC.)

23. Isa. 32:2; the meditation combines phrases from KJV, ASV, NABRE,

AMP translations; and also the slant taken on this verse in the great

hymn “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” by Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane--

lines that were (like the scriptures here) implanted in our memory from

youth.  Also see Ps. 54:4, ASV, WEB, KJV.

24. Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, ed. Clifton Wolters

(Penguin Books, 1966), p. 174, Ch. 62 (with capitalization and “&” added

and changes of He to God, as is common in modern usage).  

25. The exact meaning of this term “Selah"--found frequently in the

Psalms--is a matter of discussion.  We especially like the suggestion in

the AMPC translation: “Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!”; i.e. pause

and meditate upon that! 

***

Help from God when our struggles are not so much

out there but seem to be deep within our own soul.

Also see this topic addressed more fully in another

post.[21]

📜 "The Fickle Weather of the Human Soul--A Meditation

upon Julian of Norwich’s Secret, Sunshine or Rain":

   “. . . the continual seeking of the soul” --

sunshine or rain --“pleaseth God full greatly . . .”  

For in the final analysis,  

“seeking” -- even in the rainstorm --

“is as good as beholding” in God’s joyful sunlight!

In the clouds and rain (within or without) 

know that God will show 

“us . . . [God’s] self of . . . special grace when God will.” . . .

Be patient: “For a soul that only fasteneth it[self] . . .

[‘cleaving’] on to God with very trust, 

either by seeking” in the rainstorm  

“or . . . beholding” God in the sunshine --

either one

“is the most worship

that it may do to God” (i.e., it's a 'love offering'). 

“For God’s working is privy [‘secret’] 

and [yet] God willeth to be perceived” [& better known] . . .

“For God is full gracious and homely” (“homelike”)--

i.e., intimately loving and present-- 

even though at times . . . seemingly

- Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love (Chap. 10)

(For further thought and citations see:

https://sacred-tenderness-christian-tradition.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-fickle-weather-of-human-soul-gods.html