They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”
- Luke 7:16

What would cause us to say that “God has come to help his people”? We can see that God is with us whenever he makes us new.

Whenever we respond in a new, healthy way to an old, worn temptation, we can see that God has come to help his people. Apart from his intervention, we ride the crazy cycle over and over and over again. But Jesus makes us new. We can respond with compassion when we’re insulted, with peace when we’re pressured, with mercy when we’re wronged. Jesus makes us new.

Whenever we respond with a new, wise courage in the face of a familiar, scary obstacle, we can see that God has come to help his people. Apart from him, we either seek safety exclusively or run off on foolhardy risks. But Jesus makes us new. He makes us capable of more than we’d ever imagined. New opportunities to do good, to bless others, and to be creative open up before us. Jesus makes us new.

God has come to help his people. He has come to help you. He has come to help us. We all receive his assistance when we experience his presence.

Take some time today to thank God for coming to help you. Identify ways he’s helped you in the last week or two. Thank him for the “new” you’re experiencing. Bask in the joy of gratitude today.