Article April 14, 1997 Issue

Urgent needs met through prayer

Toni Tartoué Wengler

HAVE you ever felt unable to help another person in a desperate situation? Maybe you felt an urgent need to do something, but didn't know what to do. One of the most important things we can do in times of trouble is to turn immediately to God in prayer. "The silent intercession and unvoiced imploring is an honest and potent prayer to heal and save," writes Mary Baker Eddy in No and Yes (p. 39).

Man is governed by God. The truth is, God is omnipresent, caring for everyone with His all-encompassing Love. He is omnipotent, holding us safe and secure. Realizing the allness of God dispels feelings of helplessness and desperation in our desire to help someone who is in trouble.

I experienced this freedom from helplessness several years ago when I was unable to find my son. No one had seen him for several weeks. He had seemed to vanish from his home, place of business, and normal daily activities. As a parent, I prayed daily for the safety, health, and well-being of my children. Now there was no doubt I needed to pray more diligently for this son. Feeling alone in my desperate need to know where he was and if he was safe, I turned to the Scriptures and read this command: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isa. 41:10). God would keep my son safe in the panoply of His love; I needed to still the fear within and know that God was in complete control.

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