Desperation Prayer

Acts 27:29  Then, fearing we might run aground           on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the             stern and prayed for daylight to come. 

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There is an old adage that there are no atheists in the foxholes. 

When your life is on the line, you suddenly begin to think about things that you never saw any point to think about before … things like what happens when you die! 

Paul is on a ship as a prisoner and there is a fierce storm that seemed like it was going to crash the ship. This section in the book of Acts gives a somewhat long account of all the efforts the sailors were going through for two dreadful weeks to keep the ship afloat.  

Desperate men take desperate measures, and it seemed that resorting to prayer in this particular situation was a sign of this desperation. Yet, in the very next verse, the account reads that some of these same sailors attempted to escape on their own using the skiff and leaving the others behind. 

This account is noteworthy because it reminds us that not all prayer IS prayer. A good example of this was when Jesus told a parable in Luke 18 about a tax collector and a pharisee. The tax collector prayed a simple yet from-the-heart prayer, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” The pharisee prayed with self-righteousness, and Jesus said he was praying to himself. 

This also describes these sailors. They were looking for a quick fix to get out of a terrible situation. Prayer is not like a genie in a bottle, rub it and you get your answer. Billy Graham said it best, "True prayer is a way of life, not just for use in cases of emergency. Make it a habit, and when the need arises you will be in practice." ( 1)

PRAYER STARTER…

O Great Lord God, all things are possible with you. May we demonstrate that we do love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength by our confidence in seeking you in prayer no matter how desperate the situation we face may be. 

(Continue this prayer as the Holy Spirit directs you personally.) 

  1. Billy Graham Library, “10 Quotes from Billy Graham on Prayer - The Billy Graham Library Blog,” The Billy Graham Library, March 5, 2019, https://billygrahamlibrary.org/blog-10-quotes-from-billy-graham-on-prayer/.