Ex 2:23: Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.

The turning to God in desperate prayer is all too often not a last hope but a confession of no hope. A story is told of a terrified lady saying to the captain as the ship was buffeted by a terrible storm, Is there any hope Captain?” His reply was “Our only hope is God.” Turning even paler, she gasped “Are things really that bad?” The very fact that Christians are apt to speak of marvelous answers to prayers indicates how often they are expecting very little.