Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 124:8 ESV).

The painting of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane captures his focus on the Father. In perfect faithfulness, he willingly became the helpless one - arrested, beaten, and crucified. His agony was real. He knew his blood would be shed in place of ours. His sweat fell like drops of blood as he prayed, ‘Not my will, but yours, be done’ (Luke 22:42). In His suffering and death, he restored our connection to the Father, so that our attention might turn away from ourselves - from our sin, our efforts, our striving - and toward living as faithful children in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Before God we are helpless. Our sin has caused a lack of fear, love, and trust in God. Like Adam and Eve, we turn from him, forget his help, and attempt to help ourselves. Yet from the beginning God created us for relationship and mutual faithfulness. Eve was given to Adam as a helper, but in the moment of temptation neither helped the other remain faithful. They turned from God, hid from him, and their will - and ours ever since - set itself against God.

We still have freedom in everyday matters. We can help ourselves to what’s in the fridge or the pantry.  But when it comes to saving ourselves from death, we are utterly helpless. We cannot stop the ‘conveyor belt’ of this world that carries us to the grave. We cannot make ourselves holy, prevent ourselves from hurting others or being hurt, nor can we escape death. Deep down, humanity knows what Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions affirm: the human will is bound by sin and death.

Recognising our helplessness, however, does not stop temptation. We are tempted to minimise our sin: ‘I’m not that bad. I’m better than others.’ We are tempted to believe that politeness, positivity, or good manners can substitute for repentance. But Jesus says, ‘There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents’ (Luke 15:10). Heaven rejoices over repentance, not respectable disobedience.  The opposite temptation - despairing in our helplessness and refusing God’s help – is just as dangerous. Self-pity is no more faithful than self-righteousness.  So, what turns us from both pride and despair? How is the curse of Eden reversed?