There’s heat in the kitchen… And President Obama is catching that heat about his response – or lack there of – to the environmental disaster caused by the oil well explosion and leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Even the President’s 11-year-old daughter, Malia, is weighing in on the issue. Obama said, “You know, when I woke up this morning and I’m shaving, and Malia knocks on my bathroom door and she peeks in her head and she says, ‘Did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?'”

No doubt, this is bad… BP’s top official, Tony Hayward  who had previously claimed that the environmental impact on Gulf of Mexico would be modest, has changed their tune and today call it “environmental catastrophe.”  Meanwhile BP engineers continue to pump heavy mud into the leaking well in hopes of stemming the gushing oil.

It’s all bad… and everyone and no one is to blame… It’s a helpless feeling because this is a problem caused by humans that humans themselves can’t remedy… Even the best case now after weeks of futility will mean years of destructive fallout…  Scenarios like this are one of the reasons we started this blog, “Prayer Plain and Simple.” Sometimes the best thing we can do is pray, and ask God for help in halting the consequences of our own stupidity. This is one of those times. Yes, BP needs to work harder. Yes, the Federal Government needs to step up. But even their best efforts won’t be enough now. We need a miracle. So let’s ask…

“God, step in and stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico! We ask this because we don’t know what else to do!  We acknowledge that humans caused this problem, that our actions and inactions are now corrupting this beautiful and bountiful part of your planet. Forgive us. And then step in to act where we cannot. Give BP engineers supernatural wisdom to make the right, rapid decisions to remedy the leak. Give them stamina and creativity that is beyond their own capacity. Bless their technology so that it works even better than it is designed. Give governmental leaders, local, state and federal, unity and focus to deploy all their energies in the right direction. And beyond all this, please reach out your hand to protect the parts of your creation that will be damaged by this disaster. We humbly come to you to ask you for your grace. May the consequences of our stupidity, greed, laziness, and ignorance in this case be less than they should be! We know we should reap what we have sown, but here, we ask for a stay in your hand of judgment. We do not deserve your pardon here, but we ask it anyway! In Jesus name, fix this problem that we so pitifully cannot!”