Mighty and Tender, God Is Our Help!
2010-05-07

Need prayer for Stephanie...she's been struggling the last couple of days. Unfortunately, reminiscent of older days.

Psalm 54:1, 4

1 O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might. 4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.

In A Musician Looks At the Psalms, Don Wyrtzen begins this reading with these questions: "How do I respond under pressure? Am I paralyzed by fear? Do I panic? Do I try to escape? Do I withdraw? Do I become depressed? Do I use medication?"

I think I have done all but the last one.

In the context of this Psalm, David is being pursued by his enemies. He is, most definitely, under pressure. His response is to cry out to God. First he asks for God's help in verse 1. Then he proclaims, in verse 4, that God is there for him as his help and sustainer.

God does not abandon us to sort out our troubles alone. He is our helper! He will uphold us!


Galatians 3:26

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

In a totally unrelated reading, Jerry Bridges, in Holiness Day By Day, speaks of our "Mighty, Tenderhearted Father." Where do we get our view of God? Unfortunately, some get it from their human fathers, who may have been abusive. However, Scripture tells us, in Psalm 147:3-4, 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.

The placement of those two concepts together may seem strange, but think about it. "The same God who by His mighty power creates and sustains the stars in their courses is at the same time the tenderhearted God who heals the broken and binds up their wounds." And we, in Christ, according to Galatians 3:26, are children of this God! What a unique relationship! Our Father is, at the same time, mighty and tenderhearted. As Terry Scott Taylor put it in a Daniel Amos song called "Darn Floor! Big Bite!": "You are beautiful; a terrible, terrible sight."

Side note: The whole purpose of the title "Darn Floor! Big Bite!" was to show the complete and utter inadequacy of the human language to describe God. The title was supposed to be a gorilla's attempt to describe an earthquake. Our concepts and views of God...well our language really doesn't do them justice. How can something be "beautiful" and a "terrible sight" all at the same time? In much the same way he can be "mighty" and "tenderhearted" at the same time.


Father, we praise you for your tenderheartedness towards us. We glory in your power and might! And we are so grateful that, in your might, you see fit to condescend to us in that tenderheartedness, and bind up our wounds and heal our brokenness. It is so difficult for our feeble brains to comprehend these truths.

Because of your great might, you are able to be our helper and sustainer. But it is also because of your tender heart of mercy that the same is true. Thank you, Father.


As we get ready to celebrate our Mothers this weekend, ponder that our heavenly Father has aspects of both "father" and "mother." In all truthfulness, we usually think of fathers as being strong and mighty (present company excluded...I think I'm more of a "mother") and mothers as being tenderhearted. Thank him for his tender heart. Praise him for his power and might. And be glad he is your Father!

Grace and peace, friends!



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