Lifting my eyes to You, my Helper

In the valley, desert heat stifles.

Thirst.

Dehydration.

Brain fog.

Heart, mind, joints, blood, organ systems, skin, pain.

Withering dust.

Valley fatigue.

Eyes seek an oasis.

Yet, hope-filled water mirages become not-real.

Disappointments.

How can I crawl through another day in the valley?

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

look full in His wonderful face.

(“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” Lemmel, H. H., 1922)

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” (Ps. 121:1 ESV).

In the valley, I lift my eyes to my powerful Helper.

Climbing steep mountains, but marching to Zion

We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion;

We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God.

(“Marching to Zion,” Watts, I., 1707)

Lord, amid the mountain’s dangers, I must join Your people in the song.

I must sing Your song of ascent.

A song of my eternal hope, a song You’ve given Your pain-wrenched people throughout the ages.

In dark nights of awake-journeys, insomnia worship.

“He who keeps you will not slumber” (Ps. 121:3 ESV).

On the scary cliffs that terrify me when I look down to self.

Show me Your glorious vistas, wide and breath-taking.

Help me to pause and sing Your song of ascent, when narrow pathways squeeze and feel precariously tottering.

“He will not let your foot be moved” (Ps. 121:3 ESV).

Through the days when I can barely move.

In the moments when I must move, go, do.

Appointments, responsibilities.

Steep mountains I ascend.

To You.

One reached-up hand and foot at a time.

“The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night” (Ps. 121:6 ESV).

With.

You.

My powerful Helper within

Protect me from the lurking enemy who wants to rob me.

Deceptively trying to steal Your Spirit’s grace-filled fruit within.

Love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

“The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life” (Ps. 121:7 ESV).

Drawn near to my Helper

Who is my Helper?

You are the all-powerful LORD God Almighty!

I sing th’almighty power of God

that made the mountains rise,

that spread the flowing seas abroad

and built the lofty skies!

(“I Sing th’ Almighty Power of God,” Watts, I., p. d.)

In Your supreme power and reigning authority,

You created the mountains, the hills, the valleys between.

“For by [Jesus Christ] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17 ESV).

You are the power-full One who drew me to yourself with faith in Jesus Christ!

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (Jn. 6:44 ESV).

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,

to Thy precious, bleeding side.

(“Draw Me Nearer,” Crosby, F., 1875)

Father God, as I draw near to You with this podcast of Scripture and song, please draw me nearer to You in a song of ascent, for You are my Helper in chronic illness, pain, and all the anxiety it can bring. In the name of my blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Drawing near to my Helper

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16 ESV).

“The LORD will keep

your going out

and your coming in

from this time forth

and forevermore” (Ps. 121:8 ESV).

DID YOU KNOW?

Researchers have discovered that our body and brain’s autonomic nervous system primarily synchronizes to music through the dimension of rhythm, even though we holistically process and experience music in its simultaneously multidimensional beauty. The “almost irresistible power of rhythm…serves both to entrain and coordinate movement.”¹ God designed us to automatically entrain or sync up² to rhythm, tapping beats, feeling the pulse, unconsciously breathing in time to what we hear. Our heart rates respond and cascades of calming neurochemical reactions, God’s gift of naturally healing pain and anxiety-reducers, then can fill our whole being.

TIP:

So, as you breathe in time to this podcast’s hymns, from this writing, focus and sync up to its intentionally music therapy-inspired rhythm!

Some instructions:

1. Use noise-cancelling headphones. Eliminate distraction. Close your eyes. Put your body in a comfortable position, ideally lying flat with knees supported by a pillow.

2. Tap on your body if it’s still hard to focus on the sound.

3. As you begin to breathe to the music, put one hand on your belly and notice its rise and fall. Fill your belly with air as each Scripture and hymn fills your thoughts.

4. The pulsing beat of the music intentionally offers you musical phrases of inhalations of about 8 heats, a short resting there, and a slow exhale of about 6-8 beats. Ask God to help you breathe in time to the music and “sing” the lyrics in your thoughts, using this set-apart time to worship and adore Him.

5. Practice as He helps reset your autonomic nervous system and heal the beautifully complex body He’s created for us.

6. I’m joining you! I NEED this as I suffer from my own chronic illnesses and pain! Please email me your feedback and I will tweak our podcasts accordingly! Do you like the length? The number of Scriptures? What are your favorite hymns?

1. Sacks, O. (2007). Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, pp. 267-268.

2. Norton, K. (2016). Singing and wellbeing: Ancient wisdom, modern proof. Routledge.