Many of us our familiar with Peter, who after seeing Jesus walk across the Sea of Galilea, stepped out of the boat and walked on water with Jesus.  At some point in his miraculous steps, Peter became frightened and began sinking into the water and cries out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:23-33). These 3 simple words form the basis of the most powerful, simplest prayer. A simple pray that can guide us in teaching our patients how to pray.

First, we guide our patients in calling out to the only one who can help them, “Lord.” We don’t pray to a cosmic force, an unknown god nor one of the many god’s worshiped in other religions. Instead, we call out to the Almighty God through our Savior.

Second, is the action verb “save”. This simple 4 letter word communicates so much of the human experience. An English dictionary gives the following definitions for “save”: rescue from danger or from pain and fear; spare the individual from suffering, anxiety, or the unknown; and stop the spread of illness, infection, or cancer. And of course, the verb “save” is also used to communicate the need for forgiveness and life void of a Savior (Luke 19:10; Romans 10:13).

The final word “me” is more than a personal pronoun. It is an intimate identification as a child of God. That the Lord of heaven, the Creator of the Universe knows each hair on our head, cells in our bodies, and days of our lives.Together, “Lord, save me” is a simple prayer that anyone can learn. It communicates the magnitude needs of humanity calling out to the only power able to change the situation. Next time your patients or clients are new Christians, experiencing pain or discomfort, or too distraught to pray, teach them to this simple prayer. Then you can rest in confidence knowing the Lord will answer their prayer.