p. 303 | PETER'S PRAYER

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 8, 1880

PETER'S PRAYER.

It was one of the shortest prayers recorded in the Bible—only three words, and yet it brought an immediate answer.

What was it in those words, "Lord, save me," that secured such a prompt and effectual response?

It was a humble prayer. Peter knew that he was beginning to sink—that he was utterly helpless in the midst of angry waves which were ready to swallow him up, and he was willing to acknowledge his helplessness. In that sudden sharp cry for help he did acknowledge it.

It was a sincere prayer for just the thing that he wanted. Those three significant words went exactly to the point of his need. He wanted to be saved, and without any vain repetition of unmeaning words he cried, "Lord, save me!"

If he had time enough, he might have said, "O, thou omnipotent Ruler of the universe, in thine infinite compassion condescend to stretch out thine almighty arm for the succor of one of thy feeble children." But such a prayer could not have received any better answer than the simple pointed one that he did utter.

May we not learn from this example to say just what we mean when we come before the Lord and to call upon him in a few words when we have no time for more?

But while we rejoice in this privilege, let us guard ourselves against the mistake of supposing that a short prayer is necessarily better than a long one. Three words will not ordinarily be enough to cover all our needs.

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray." —American Messenger.