Let God Be Your Johnny On the Spot – by Lillian Rhoades

“God is our refuge and strength; an abundantly available help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1 NKJ).

My sister and I are total opposites. She is always prepared; I am, sometimes. When she had a near blowout on the highway, she pulled out her membership card and called for road service. When my battery died, I had to call my neighbor. Duly chastised by my sister's smug admonition to be prepared “next time,” I took myself to the woodshed, and vowed to be prepared ahead of time.

The next morning, after my neighbor had installed the new battery, I lay in bed reflecting on how God had provided the help I needed. He gently reminded me that every time I had a crisis I could not take care of on my own, He was there to help me grope my way out of the difficulty

His reminder encouraged me towards further reflections. Even down to perfect timing, He was God “on the spot.” My sister's incident occurred on the highway; my battery died in my garage, before I got stuck on the road. Coincidence? Not if you believe that with God nothing happens by chance, but by His choice. This was His opportunity to once again prove to me that He will always have my back. I'm still learning that God's help is not only reliable, but a source of infinite truth: When we are in trouble with nowhere to turn, He shows up so that we can gladly say, “He will deliver...him who has no helper” (Psalm:73:1).

Lillian Rhoades lives in upstate, New York, and is the author of, When Youth Fades – How to Celebrate Life After 60. Contact