Panic Prayers

There are many situations that cause to rise in you, panic prayers. But how to pray in a panic? Suddenly you are desperate to know what kind of praying will bring the results you long for, right?

Your sister-in-law calls to say their little boy is in the hospital, VERY sick. The one you especially love!

Your spouse has some aches and pains that won't go away and has some tests done by the doctor. Next thing you know, there's a call from the doctor - "Oh-no! Not Cancer!" you shriek as you pound the wall with your fists.

Maybe it is a call on the prayer chain from church. The most loved, faithful, considerate couple in the whole church have just been in an accident and both killed.

Things can get rather tense and stressed out with your kids, or a co-worker, and you know you are at the end of your rope. It's time for panic prayers, and instant answers. But... you worry about doing it right, don't you? Especially if you have not prayed much before, or only sporadically.

What if God doesn't like you to be always whining for help on short notice?

I've got plenty of experience with panic praying. I've even given my heroine in my first novel, Ruthe's Secret Roses a personality that is often shrieking to God for help. You should see what kind of scraps she gets into, and how wonderfully God comes through for her.

Here's a sample from the first chapter:

Oh-h Lord! another part of her whimpered, I'm sorry, but, unless You give me the courage, I can't do it! Should I really go in there?

"Ach-h, you silly country bumpkin," her fears taunted her again, "Drive yourself to Emergency. There's St. Paul's hospital just up the street."

"Will you shut up!" Ruthe cried out. "The Lord God Almighty is with me. If He wants me to go in there He'll give me the courage."

For a stunned moment she considered the echo of those words. The battle eased for her some, but she drove around the block once more.

Three tears dribbled down her cheeks as she prayed with a fresh conviction that there was someone God wanted her to rescue in that place. She vowed to go in. Abruptly, she parked in front of the door and dashed in. Fast.

Later that night she's rejoicing--

Over and over she had exclaimed, "Oh Lord-but-I love You! I love You! Oh-ew-how I love You!" Then she worried that there would be such a shine on her face the next day that people would make her tell what happened. That she resolved not to do. This night would always be a secret between Muriel, the Lord, and herself.

After a funeral for her friends' mother, Ruthe finds herself in a deep theological discussion with their father, and the priest. Again, she throws up panic prayers;

Mr. O'Brien stirred uncomfortably in his chair. "Come now, girls, that is no way to talk about your grandmother."

In an effort to bring the conversation back to theological matters, he turned to Ruthe. "I don't see how you can have Christ, or as you like to say, the Holy Spirit, living within you and communing with you all day, when they are members of the Triune God."

Oh-oh, Lord; help! Ruthe prayed, blinking her eyes for a moment, before she said, "I'm afraid I don't understand the physics of it either." She smiled and cocked her head in a friendly manner. "I do know that God manifests or shows Himself in three Persons, all equal. Take a man: he can be a son, a husband, and a father all at the same time. I don't know, Mr. O'Brien; this is one of those areas where we have to trust God, let Him be the One who knows all things, and exercise spiritual faith. If we have physical evidence, we can only exercise physical faith, right?"

My child, how long have you believed all this?" asked the priest.

Then there is the time she is driving around a run-down, older part of downtown, and visualizing what it must be like to live there. She is just driving through a back alley, when....

She peered at the back fire escapes and the little metal balconies, some of which were cluttered with laundry and rugs hung out to air. The small front yards had looked bad, but the muddy, messy patches in the back were worse.

Just about out at the street again, she heard a blood-curdling scream. Ruthe froze. A woman being molested? Or killed? Then it came again, from the second last old building along the alley.

She put the car into Park, ready to jump into action, then was unable to move for fear. Ought I do something? Lord, I'm scared! Anyhow, by the time I get to a pay phone she'll be murdered, or whatever -so what's the use? I'm too late! Her compassion and fears wrestled in the pit of her stomach.

Suddenly a pillow came hurtling through the open door at the top of the second floor fire escape. With a numb plop it landed in a puddle beside some soggy newspapers.

If there's a murderer loose, neither Mom, nor Grosz'mama want me here.

But this is not about hitchhikers. What if I were that poor woman?

"Oh Lord!" she cried aloud. "Nobody would blame me for running, but if I don't go to help, I'll always hate myself. You do want me to go, don't You? You'll protect me?"

Ruthe leaped out of the car and zipped up the fire escape. Gripping the rail she could do two steps at a time. Momentarily she paused, puffing in the half open doorway, trying to make out what was happening in the unlit room.

So, how can you learn to pray 'successful' panic prayers?

1. Get assurance that you are in right standing with God beforehand. That is, make sure you have repented of your sins, and have humbly accepted that Jesus Christ's death was on your behalf. He in turn has given you His righteousness. You may wear it like a royal cape or gown when you pray, for you are truly in the presence of your Heavenly Father, when you come in Jesus' name and righteousness.

God loves you as dearly as His Son, and will treat you like His beloved son or daughter whenever you pray sincerely with all your heart.

2. Discipline yourself for a daily quiet time to read the Bible and pray in a relaxed and companionably way to God. It's in reading the Bible you get to know what He is really like, and what He desires from us. You can comfortably tell Him your concerns and ask questions, and respond to His love. As you do, a wonderful relationship will grow between you and God. You will really begin to think of Him as your best Friend.

Keep building that relationship the rest of your life. You're doing it for your sake in the end, although God dearly longs for such fellowship with each of His devoted children.

3. Practice praying, or talking with God in your thoughts throughout the day, whatever you are doing, or where ever you travel. This becomes easier if you have taken care of step 2.

Ignore people who tell you that you have to be independent and not bother God with little things like parking spots, etc. Their words are whispers from Satan to drive you away from the Lord.

It is true we are responsible for our own decisions, and God does not zap us with miracles while we passively wait for them. But He does understand if we are weak and frightened, and don't know what decisions to make. Those are the little panic moments when we practice calling upon God with Panic Prayers. We've got to form that habit.

Because when the bigger crises arrive in our lives, we will not automatically think of calling on God, or know how, or what to say, if we have not build in that habit of talking with Him about every little things that causes us worry or joy or laughter, or tears.

Guess what. When those big terrifying, stunning surprise TROUBLES attack us, it is that intimate relationship with God, that will help us to cry out to Him like a toddler lifting his hands and screaming, "Mommy! Mommy!"

Yes, just like that, we'll call out in panic, "Help, Lord!" or, "Oh Jesus, quick! I need You!"

Instantly, a peace comes over you. You can think. You can decide what to do next.

The problem may not disappear instantly, but you will have the strength and wisdom to cope.

Basically then, to be able to pray good panic prayers, you need to have a clear grip on the concept that God loves you, and a habit of talking with Him in the ordinary days - about anything and everything. He is always there for us, and has promised never to leave us - even if the earth should appear to break apart and leave it's orbit!

God is so great, so good, so grand, so gracious, so glorious - get to know Him, and bask in His glowing love for you. Get bonded to Him like a baby to its caring mother or father.

I've walked and talked with the Lord like this since my early teens. It is the most unique and precious relationship I have. For years I've wished I could show others how to do this, and back in my early teens, (actually I was still twelve then), I had an idea for a book, a novel about someone who really lives this way. Then readers who longed for this kind of life could see how it works out in a person's daily life.

It took me about 30 years to write this novel, Ruthe's Secret Roses, or as I used to call it for many years, "I Come to the Garden Alone." It probably took that long because God was still maturing and developing my relationship with Him. But it is available now, in both softcover/paperback, and as an e-book which you can download in a matter of minutes.

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Panic Prayers

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