In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering around him, his canopy thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire... He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. (Psalm 18: 6-16)

Here is the kind of divine intervention that we really want in answer to our prayers. We want the earth to reel and rock. We want God to make right what we think is wrong. We want God to save us from danger - often a danger to which we have contributed our own fair share.

I have experienced a kind of smoke, fire, glowing coals, and hailstones. God - the One Who Exists in the Past, Now, and in the Future - has needed to be very dramatic to get my full attention. More than once God has drawn me out of mighty waters.

But in my case God has directed this awesome power at shaping my intention, directing my will, and giving me courage. God has often offered more than I would accept.