There was a report out recently from London’s Fire Brigade. It seems that in 2010 there were some 1300 “trapped or stuck” incidents and each incident cost the city about $445. I laughed at the kinds of predicaments that required the fire department to come a running and save them.

79 people were trapped in handcuffs (presumably none of them were actually in police custody). 18 kids got their heads stuck in a toilet. But my favorite was – 4 people got their hands wedged in blenders. Can’t you just picture those people trying to call 911 with sticky juice streaming down their arm?

Modern society is certainly blessed to have such police and fire services readily available to us all. Praise the Lord, those public servants are just a phone call away. But in a broader sense, I am particularly blessed this week to remember how responsive the Lord is to all of us when we call.

Most of us have memorized Jeremiah 29:11 (“I know the plans I have for you…”). But the very next verse declares, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” In our emergencies, we are encouraged to call on Him and He promised to respond and according to His will, meet our needs.

A wonderful Biblical example is the story about King Jehoshaphat in II Chronicles 18. He and Ahab, the King of Israel went to battle against the army of Ramoth Gilead. Ahab was treacherous and sneaky. He conned Jehoshaphat into wearing the royal robes while he (Ahab) slunk around in a disguise. The enemy went out focused on killing the leaders. They expected the kings to be decked out in the royal duds. Jehoshaphat was in imminent danger.

As the enemy’s chariot commanders zeroed in on King Jehoshaphat, he makes his emergency call out to the Lord. Miraculously, God drew the army away from Jehoshaphat and instead, Ahab was randomly struck by arrows and died.

I doubt that you or I will be physically attacked this week. But we may very well be faced with a major financial or emotional or relational or work related crisis. We may find ourselves needing to be rescued. We will want to make a 911 call to someone.

Let’s remember Ps. 120:1 and make the correct emergency call: “I call upon the Lord in my distress, AND HE ANSWERS ME!”

By His Grace and for His Glory,
Sherry L. Worel