Both the Lord Jesus Christ and Apostle Paul taught against anxiety. As we look into the scriptures, we notice that those who are anxious would press the panic button thereby complicating their situations. Abraham’s departure from Canaan to Egypt was a panic measure. He left on account of famine without referring to God. He forgot that the God who told him to move to Canaan knew about the famine and could sort him out. That initial panic led to another. As they approached the borders of Egypt, he instructed his wife to claim she was his sister. He feared that the Egyptians would kill him and take his wife. While Abraham travelled the Promised Land, he raised two altars. There was no record of any altar he raised in Egypt. Wherever you go and can’t raise an altar and freely call on the name of the Lord is not safe for you.

…those who are anxious would press the panic button thereby complicating their situations…So whenever we panic, we are violating the first commandment that warns against having another god besides Jehovah.

Panicking is like falling for another god. I understand that the word “panic” is from the word pan. Pan is the Greek god of the wild, shepherds, and fertility. It is often depicted as a half-human, half-goat figure with horns, a beard, and a mischievous grin. He is known for music and dance. More applicable here, ‘pan’ is known for pranks, mischief, and confusion. So whenever we panic, we are violating the first commandment that warns against having another god besides Jehovah. Whenever there is a temptation to be anxious, let us follow the recommendation in our text – pray.