How Desperate Are You?

How do you approach Jesus when a need arises quickly? Or how do you come to Him to seek His intervention concerning the pressing need?

There’s an account in the Bible in Mark 9. Here we find a father desperately seeking help for his son. He goes to some of Jesus’ followers but finds little help, so he searches out Jesus for the answer to his son’s situation. Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid….”

And when Jesus saw the boy, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground… So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said “From childhood… but if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”

Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose.

How many times can we go to the doctors or someone else and we hear there is no real hope or are told, “Well, we hope we can help”? How many well-meaning Christians have said it must be God’s will and we can only do so much. But what does Jesus say in verse 23? “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” You see, it takes more than just nice prayers or good intentions. It is really obedience to believing and trusting God to not give in to doubt, but by opening your heart to God.

You have an adversary who is going to try to reap havoc in your life- if not today, maybe tomorrow or the next day. But you also have a judge who sits in Heaven and will hear your case. Sometimes it takes some real time invested in prayer, searching your heart, pleading your case before God and not giving in to doubt and fear.

How desperate are you? Jesus wants us to get desperate about His kingdom work. That is why at times He lets desperate situations come forward. Why? Because He wants someone’s attention. There have been times and there are going to be more mounting in the days ahead from economic situations, people’s health and security. God wants people paying attention to His business and get their attention off themselves.

Where is your attention at today? What was so important yesterday? Are you concerned about the very things God is concerned about? God has His ways of getting our interest in the things of His. Don’t always look at tragic events as attacks without purpose. God wants you concerned for what concerns Him. You must decide what is really important in this life.