Our Daily Bread: Remembering 9/11Exemplo

Emergency Prayer

Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. -Psalm 71:3

Stanley Praimnath was working on the 81st floor of the World Trade Center South Tower when he saw an airplane flying directly toward him. Praying a quick prayer of desperation, he dove under a desk for protection: “Lord, I can’t do this! You take over!”

The horrific impact of the crash trapped Praimnath behind a wall of debris. But as he prayed and cried for help, Brian Clark, a worker from three floors up, heard and responded. He found Praimnath, and the two made their way through the rubble and darkness down eighty flights of stairs. Praimnath and Clark were two of only eighteen survivors from the impact zone or higher in the South Tower that day. 

When encountering terrible threats, David asked God for help. He wanted to be assured of God’s nearness as he faced enemies in battle. In a heartfelt plea, David prayed, “Be my rock of safety where I can always hide” (Psalm 71:3). He cried out, “O God, don’t stay away. My God, please hurry to help me” (v. 12).

We aren’t promised deliverance from every difficult situation we face. But we can be confident that God hears our prayers and will walk alongside us through everything. We can tell him, as David did, “You alone are my hope” (v. 5).

Whatever comes my way, loving God, please come near to me to help. I can’t make it through anything without You. Thank You.

Dennis Fisher