도움이 필요할 때(WHEN YOU NEED HELP)

💙 도움이 필요할 때

 ✝  시편 121 
“ 나의 도움은 천지를 지으신 여호와에게서로다 “[시편 121:2]

월요일 아침이었지만 친구 치아밍은 사무실에 나오지 않았습니다. 그는 집에서 욕실을 청소하고 있었습니다. 그는 한 달 동안 실직 상태였는데, 앞으로도 직장을 구하지 못할 거라고 생각했습니다. 코로나바이러스 감염증 대유행으로 그의 회사가 문을 닫았기 때문에 치아밍은 미래에 대한 염려로 두려움에 사로잡혀 있습니다. ‘가족을 부양해야 하는데 어디에 가서 도움을 받을 수 있을까?’

시편 121편 1절에서 예루살렘 순례자들도 어디서 도움을 구해야 할지 몰라 이와 비슷한 질문을 하고 있습니다. 시온산에 있는 거룩한 성으로 향하는 길은 순례자들에게 힘든 등반까지 해야 하는 길고 위험한 것이었습니다. 그들이 마주했던 어려움들은 질병이나 사람 관계의 문제, 사별, 직장에서의 스트레스, 또는 치아밍의 경우처럼 재정적인 어려움이나 실업 등, 오늘날 우리가 당면하는 여러 어려운 여정들과 같은 것일지도 모릅니다.

그러나 우리는 천지를 지으신 분이 친히 우리를 돕는다는 사실에 용기를 낼 수 있습니다(2절). 하나님은 우리의 삶을 지키시고(3,5,7-8절) 또 우리에게 무엇이 필요한지 알고 계십니다. “지키다”라는 말의 히브리어 ‘샤마르’는 “보호하다”라는 뜻입니다. 우주의 창조주이신 하나님은 우리의 보호자이십니다. 우리는 그분의 보호 아래 있습니다. “하나님께서 저와 제 가족을 돌보아 주셨습니다. 그리고 제때에 교사직을 갖게 해주셨습니다.”라고 치아밍이 얼마 전에 간증했습니다.
우리가 하나님을 믿고 순종할 때, 하나님의 지혜와 사랑의 보호 안에 있다는 사실을 알고 희망을 가지고 앞을 내다볼 수 있습니다.

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하나님에게서 어떤 도움이 필요합니까? 
하나님이 천지의 창조주시라는 사실이 어떤 힘을 줍니까?

<하나님 아버지, 제 삶의 여정에서 도움의 근원이 되어 주시니 감사합니다.>

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[시편 121:1-8]
1. 내가 산을 향하여 눈을 들리라 나의 도움이 어디서 올까
2. 나의 도움은 천지를 지으신 여호와에게서로다
3. ○여호와께서 너를 실족하지 아니하게 하시며 너를 지키시는 이가 졸지 아니하시리로다
4. 이스라엘을 지키시는 이는 졸지도 아니하시고 주무시지도 아니하시리로다
5. 여호와는 너를 지키시는 이시라 여호와께서 네 오른쪽에서 네 그늘이 되시나니
6. 낮의 해가 너를 상하게 하지 아니하며 밤의 달도 너를 해치지 아니하리로다
7. 여호와께서 너를 지켜 모든 환난을 면하게 하시며 또 네 영혼을 지키시리로다
8. 여호와께서 너의 출입을 지금부터 영원까지 지키시리로다

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💙 WHEN YOU NEED HELP

✝  Psalms 121  

“ My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. “[ PSALM 121:2 ]

It was a Monday morning, but my friend Chia-ming wasn’t in the office. He was at home, cleaning the bathroom. A month unemployed, he thought, and no job leads. His firm had shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic and worries about the future filled Chia-ming with fear. I need to support my family, he thought. Where can I go for help?

In Psalm 121:1, the pilgrims to Jerusalem asked a similar question about where to find help. The journey to the Holy City on Mount Zion was long and potentially dangerous, with travelers enduring an arduous climb. The challenges  they faced may seem like the difficult journeys we face in life today—trudging the path of illness, relationship problems, bereavement, stress at work or, as in the case of Chia-ming, financial difficulty and unemployment. 

But we can take heart in the truth that the Maker of heaven and earth Himself helps us (V. 2). He watches over our  lives (VV. 3, 5, 7–8) and He knows what we need. Shamar, the Hebrew word for “watches over,” means “to guard.” The Creator of the universe is our guardian. We’re in His safekeeping. “God took care of me and my family,” Chia-ming shared recently. “And at the right time, He provided a teaching job.”
As we trust and obey God, we can look ahead with hope, knowing we’re within the protective boundaries of His  wisdom and love.
-KAREN HUAN

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What kind of help do you need from God today?How does knowing He’s the Maker of heaven and earth encourage you?

<Father, thank You for being my source of help on my life’s journey.>

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[Psalms 121:1-8]
1. [A Song of Ascents.] I Will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence shall my help come?
2. My help [comes] from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
3. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4. Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.
5. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6. The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night.
7. The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
8. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.