It was a busy morning for local emergency workers the other day. I usually keep a radio tuned to the emergency dispatch frequency for Dorchester County, Maryland. Things were generally quiet at first, but around 8:30 AM things got a little busy here in Cambridge.

That is when a call came in for an apartment fire around downtown. It is standard procedure, and very reasonably so, that not only fire trucks were dispatch but police and medical personnel.

Just a few minutes after the first call, there was a medical call at the other end of Cambridge. Five or more minutes later, there was an alert for a vehicle striking a tree on the outskirts of Cambridge. Then, like this stuff was contagious, a neighboring jurisdiction received a call for a car accident.

As I heard the sirens of emergency vehicles I thought to myself it is a good thing I did not have to be anywhere about that time.

I also thought, and prayed for, those in need that might have had to wait since some of our resources were busy elsewhere. As a disciple of Christ, I also had the pleasant realization that Almighty God is never strapped for resources nor is He ever too busy.

I realize some might quickly ask, as I used to, why He does not do something. Well, He does according to His will as we permit Him to do so in our lives. In some cases, especially in well developed countries, people think they are sincere but too often society has ingrained in many the dependence upon professionals. One can pray and think they really mean it, but there is a part of them that subconsciously depends upon something other than God.

That is just one factor of a few, but I prefer in this devotional to simply encourage people to develop a prayer life, the foundation of which would be a personal relationship with Christ.

Keep in mind, though, prayer is not to be use like a magic lamp that when it is rubbed a genie grants your wishes. Prayer requires we hear what God says, and so respond.

Sometimes we have bona fide needs. However, in seeking an answer to those we must realize that our greatest need is for that which is eternal. This is why Christ said (Matthew 6:33), “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”