“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! [Psalm 107: 28-30 (NLT)]

Why do we so readily call upon God to help us find our lost keys or to ease traffic so we can get to an appointment on time, and not immediately turn in prayer to Him when there is an illness, a troubled relationship, or a family crises? Are we afraid he can’t handle the really big stuff? This is the God who parted the Red Sea and fed 5000 with a few morsels of food. All we need to do is cry, “Lord, help!”

He is close to all who call on him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who reverence and trust him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. [1 Chronicles 29:18-19 (TLB)]

I do not know much about God and prayer, but I have come to believe, over the past twenty-five years, that there’s something to be said about keeping prayer simple. Help. Thanks. Wow.   [Anne Lamott, from “Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers”]