Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shauna: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Here’s our friend Joni singing a very simple prayer.

Joni Eareckson Tada: Search me, O God, and know my heart today. Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me. Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.

Guest (Male): Love that last line: "Cleanse me from every sin and set me free." Right there when it comes to petitions, right there might be one of the shortest prayers ever: "cleanse me." Because sometimes short prayers, the tiniest snippets of praise and petition, can be the most powerful. Oh Jesus, cleanse me. Sometimes it’s great to use short prayers when you don’t know what or how to pray. Ken and I have felt that way lately. For several months, we’ve been praying nightly for a list of friends who have cancer.

Some of the cases are pretty extensive, others look hopeful. Through it all, our friends are struggling through pain and disappointment, chemotherapy, and often we do not know how to pray. But we can never go wrong using simple words. Like in Luke chapter 4, when Peter’s friends saw how his mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. They saw Jesus arrive on the scene. They went to him and said, "Lord, help her." Just three little words: "Lord, help her." Straightforward, to the point, direct, and best of all, sincere.

Ken and I remembered that scene as we prayed for our friends who have cancer. We don’t have to dig deep into the matter. We don’t have to question God’s will. After all, God knows best what would be helpful. And as long as our hearts are in it, a powerful prayer might not be more than just three words: "Lord, help her." Another short scripture prayer is found in Matthew chapter 14. That’s the story of when Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. The 30th verse picks up with the story: "But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" Again, no fanfare, no digging deep into the matter, just three little words: "Lord, save me!"

At times when pain overwhelms me and I completely run out of words to say to God, in my bewilderment, I too will borrow that short, sincere plea from the apostle. Lord, save me. Lord, rescue me. Lord, deliver me. Praying short scripture prayers like that makes me think of Peter’s desperation for the Savior, and it makes me feel his need of a deliverer.

Shauna: And friend, there’s something else that’s wonderful about those scriptures: "Lord, help her," or "Lord, save me." They’re prayers, but they’re also the Word of God. And it’s speaking God’s Word back to Jesus. It’s speaking the language Jesus speaks. And we want to share how to do more of that by sending you Joni’s booklet called *Speaking God’s Language*. It’s yours for free at joniradio.org today.