The news was tragic: A psychiatric patient had pried open a window with a butter knife and then fell to his death. The news was particularly bad for me: It was my job to accommodate the media and also do my best to protect the reputation of the hospital, my employer.
As I walked down the hall towards the auditorium packed with reporters and TV cameras, my boss, amazed at my composure, said, “Are your veins full of ice water? Don’t you ever get nervous?”
The answers, respectively, were “No” and “Yes.”
What she didn’t know was I had just spent the last ten minutes sitting in a bathroom stall praying my heart out to God, telling Him how nervous I was and how much I needed Him in this moment.
Now refreshed by the Lord, I entered the auditorium, walked up to the podium jammed with microphones and tape recorders and did my thing.
How’d it go? Well, I was as forthcoming as I could be, answered everyone’s questions the best I could and, perhaps best of all, wasn’t fired.
Why do I share this story? Because I’m betting some of you are facing something in your life today, something so intimidating, so big, and so impossible that you need divine help. Without supernatural help, it’s not going to happen. Or if it does, it won’t go well. And you know it.
So what are you waiting for? Why not pick up your heavenly cell phone and give Him a call?
Nervous? Don’t be. Just follow Jesus’ model prayer:
"This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”1
· By saying “hallowed be your name,” you’ve shown respect and honor to your heavenly Father.
· By saying “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” you’re acknowledging that His will trumps your will, and that includes whatever you need help with.
· By saying “give us today our daily bread” you’re showing your dependence upon the Lord to meet your basic needs.
· By saying “forgive us our debts” you’re admitting you’ve sinned and need His forgiveness.
· By saying “as we also have forgiven our debtors” you're saying you’ve forgiven those who have sinned against you.
· By saying “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” you’re asking for His divine protection from Satan and from falling into sin.
Once you’ve prayed this prayer—and understood and meant what you’ve said—then you’re ready to tell your heavenly Father about your problem. And don’t forget to thank Him for listening and caring about you.
Then? Well, go on with your life and do what you need to do, confident the Creator of the universe loves you and knows about your situation.
How will it all turn out? I have no idea. But know this: When your trial or decision comes to a head, guess who’s on your side?
The Lord God almighty.
Pretty cool, huh?
1 Matthew 6:9-13
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