by David Scott Robertson
The next time you find yourself in a sticky situation, I want to encourage you to pray this two-word prayer: "Lord, help!" Never underestimate the power of this prayer. Psalm 107 describes four scenarios in which great distress was turned into great deliverance because the people cried out, "Lord, help!"
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Scenario #1: The Israelites were wandering in the desert, lost and homeless, hungry and thirsty, and they nearly died (v. 4-5).
"'Lord, help!' they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress" (v. 6).
Results of this two-word prayer: He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live (v. 7)! He satisfied the thirsty and filled the hungry with good things (v. 9)!
Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them (v. 8)!
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Scenario #2: Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, miserable prisoners in chains (v. 10). They were rebels scorning counsel the counsel of God (v. 11). That's why God broke them with hard labor, and they were falling under the heavy burden with none to rescue them (v. 12).
"'Lord, help!' they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress" (v. 13).
Results of this two-word prayer: God snapped their chains and led them out of darkness and deepest gloom (v. 14)! He broke down their prison gates of bronze and cut apart their bars of iron (v. 16)!
Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them (v. 15)!
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Scenario #3: Some were fools in their rebellion suffering from their sins (v. 17). Their appetites were gone and they were on the brink of death (v. 18).
"'Lord, help!' they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress" (v. 19).
Results of this two-word prayer: God spoke and they were healed, snatched from the very door of death (v. 20)!
Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them (v. 21)!
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Scenario #4: Sailors caught in a tempest, a hurricane so serious that these experienced seamen were cringing in terror, reeling and staggering like drunkards (v. 27).
"'Lord, help!' they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress" (v. 28).
Results of this two-word prayer: God calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves (v. 29)! He brought them safely into harbor (v. 30)!
Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them (v. 31)!
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These are not bad results for a two-word prayer, wouldn't you say? To my understanding, it's not WHAT you pray but TO WHOM you are praying that is important.
"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Acts 2:21).
If you'll allow it to, today's thought will encourage you to pray "Lord, help!" in your time of need and you can expect fantastic results.
DSR
12/5/04