“Hasten, O God, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me. May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.” Psalm 70:1-2
We’ve probably all cried out to God in panic or desperation. People are not likely attempting to take our lives, as was David’s case in this psalm. But we have moments of need, anxiety, or frustration, and we cry out to God to help us through these tough times.
Last Christmas Day was a little unusual. In the process of making a quick repair, I Gorilla-glued two of my fingers together, and I spoke my first panic prayer. A little while later, as I was cooking dinner, I discovered a small pool of green liquid along the side of the burner of my gas stove. As I shifted pots and took a closer look, I realized a green crayon had melted around and underneath the burner. I uttered my second quick panic prayer: “Lord, please don’t let our house go up in flames!” (Disclaimer: strange things happen in the kitchen when you live with a three-year-old.)
A bunch of scraping, lots of rubbing, and an application of a household degreasing cleaner finally loosened the crayon mess, and I was back on track with dinner. I shifted the pots and started to turn on the burner. A second too late, I realized the degreaser might be petroleum-based, which could produce catastrophic results. And I uttered my third prayer of panic for the day: “Lord, please don’t let the stove explode.”
God answered all my prayers that day; our house is still standing, and all fingers are working. Isn’t it good to know we have a God who cares about all the little details of our lives, even our moments of panic? We can say with David,
“Let God be exalted! …You are my help and my deliverer.” Psalm 70:4-5
Carol C. and her husband have been married for nearly 50 years. She is a proud mother and grandmother, as well as a teacher and author. For more on the Study With Friends Bible Studies, click here.
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