Very present help

A friend send me the following quote today. It's timing could not have been more perfect. It spoke truth to my struggles lately.

As as I see life moving on all around me, my heart feels especially lonely. The inevitable has started to set in...the sympathy cards have stopped, emails trickle in less frequently, and we see others not as often. My little baby girl seems farther away from me than ever...and I seem to forget things about her that I don't want to. I have found myself asking, "what was it like to hold her?," "what did she look like?," "what did her cry sound like?" I miss having my day consumed with nothing but my girlies and taking care of them. Quiet moments are reminders of what I used to be doing.

BUT, then I get an email from Alycia, a dear friend, who is gifted in listening to the Spirit. This quote reminded me of where my true help comes from. I can't hope in or look to things in this world...no, my true help is much greater and much more knowledgeable about me and much stronger...it so ministered hope to me:

Immediately Present

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
A help that is not present when we need it is of small value. The anchor which is left at home is of no use to the seaman in the hour of storm; the money which he used to have is of no worth to the debtor when a writ is out against him. Very few earthly helps could be called "very present": they are usually far in the seeking, far in the using, and farther still when once used. But as for the Lord our God, He is present when we seek Him, present when we need Him, and present when we have already enjoyed His aid.

He is more than "present," He is very present. More present than the nearest friend can be, for He is in us in our trouble; more present than we are to ourselves, for sometimes we lack presence of mind. He is always present, effectually present, sympathetically present, altogether present. He is present now if this is a gloomy season. Let us rest ourselves upon Him. He is our refuge, let us hide in Him; He is our strength, let us array ourselves with Him; He is our help, let us lean upon Him; He is our very present help, let us repose in Him now. We need not have a moment's care or an instant's fear. "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."

~Spurgeon