We call 911 during an emergency, a life-threatening situation, injury, or accident. In 2018, America’s 911 system celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. When answering, the operators immediately ask about the nature of the emergency. Then they dispatch the help we need. However, weather, traffic, and location can determine their arrival time.
Unfortunately, the help doesn’t always come as quickly as needed. But this is not the case when we call on the Lord. He’s always right on time and has never lost a case.
In several instances, Jesus gave immediate help on the scene. Nearly everyone in Scripture who came to Jesus had trouble they couldn’t resolve.
In John 11, Jesus’ friend Lazarus became deathly sick. Jesus later received news that Lazarus died. By the time Jesus reached Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, accused Jesus of being late and blamed him for Lazarus’ death. But the story ended with a miraculous resurrection.
In Luke 8, a Gadarene man is possessed by many devils and had been for a long time. He immediately met Jesus when Jesus got off the boat. This man lived among the tombs, cried out day and night, and cut himself with stones. He had been captured numerous times and bound with fetters and chains, but to no avail. The devils inside him accused Jesus of coming to torment them. After Jesus cast the devils out, the man sat at Jesus’ feet—clothed and in his right mind.
We should always be in good spiritual condition to respond immediately through prayer during emergencies. Emergencies won’t wait. Someone’s well-being or life may depend on our prayers. We may need to be someone’s first responder. Additionally, we all want someone standing ready in our crisis—someone who can get the job done.
Make sure you have an emergency plan in place in times of crisis. Be that person who is spiritually ready to help someone else.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and Queven.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Andy is a published multi-award-winning author with devotions appearing on the Christian Devotions website as well as the CBN website. He is a contributing author in the Starr Ayers/Stephanie Pavlantos book Room at the Table. Currently, he is working on his first novel and is assembling a book of inspirational Scripture-based short stories along with moral, personal, family, and comical stories. Andy is the founder and director of H.O.P.E. Ministries in Candler, NC. While operating primarily as a food ministry, they also provide backpacks, Easter baskets, and Christmas shoebox gifts to crisis pregnancy centers, domestic violence shelters, schools, government agencies, and other ministries. They also provide disaster relief and aid for unwed mothers and their children.