Recently I was fishing with some friends – some were from church and some were not. We had to do quite a bit of rock hopping as we traversed the stream looking for deeper spots holding the larger fish. The brush and undergrowth was thick at times due to it being late in the season.

One of the guys who is not a Christian realized he had dropped his cell phone, but where and when? Was it getting a thorough washing in the creek? Did it become invisible because it fell down between some rocks out of sight? How would we even be able to retrace our exact steps because there was no trail? Each person had made their own way as they jumped from rock to rock.

I think everyone had a sense of resignation. “It’s gone. Too bad, but we’re not going to find it.”

As we began to look, I thought we should stop and pray to ask the Lord to help us find this “needle in the hay stack.” Unfortunately, I didn’t say anything because I thought my friend who lost the phone would think it odd or what if we prayed and never found the phone. It would appear as if God didn’t care or was unable to help.

Three of us spent the next 15-20 minutes doing the best we could to go back over our steps scouring the ground for the phone. It was no where to be found. Finally, I worked up the courage to suggest praying. Everyone agreed and we prayed a simple prayer, “Lord, help us find the phone. Amen.” Immediately, the friend who lost his phone turned around to continue looking and spotted it no more than fifteen feet from where we had prayed.

God had answered our prayer in less than 10 seconds. INCREDIBLE!!

What if we had not prayed? What if I had allowed fear to guide me rather than faith? How many times do I pass up God’s miraculous intervention simply because I don’t ask?

You can be sure that next time, I’ll give God the benefit of the doubt and ask sooner.