I recall driving through the Smoky Mountains years ago and coming within a couple of feet of death. As I drove my car out of the sunshine into the shade, I hit an icy patch of highway. My car started a slow lazy spin toward the edge of the highway where a cliff plunged down several hundred feet.

I fought to regain control of my car and uttered the words, "Lord help us!" Miraculously the car straightened out and I steered it back into the proper lane of the highway. I thanked the Lord that no other vehicles happened to be in sight. I kept driving as I knew that if I stopped the car it might take a long time before I would have the ability to resume the trip.

There are times in life when we seem to spin out of control toward what appears to be certain disaster. We don't have time to prepare an appropriate prayer for the occasion. All we can do is utter a terse word of concern and try our best to avoid the worst.

Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord doesn’t require us to have beautifully worded petitions in times of panic and desperation? The most humble prayer, uttered in fear, can reach the heart of our Father in heaven.

The Lord can translate our simple expression of panic and know what we frantically desire and need. He’s always there to dispense grace at such moments.

The Psalmist said the wrong thing in his cry for help. He said that he’d dropped off God's radar. The critical matter appears to him as a great mountain blocking him from God's view. But he soon learned that he was never out of God's sight. That truth is so important for all of us to have in mind when trouble comes calling. The enemy may knock at our door but the Lord is right beside us as we open the door to adversity.

God gave us the ability to see—and He sees.

The Lord gave us ears to hear with—and He hears.

He gave us the capacity to love—and He loves.

Perhaps you are on a slippery slope today.

Return to the Lord.

Use any words you wish to express your fear, confusion, pain and concern. He will hear your cry for mercy and come to your side with the needed grace for the situation.

Cry out to Him and do so now.