Holy Desperation

As a teenager i read the complete works of Henry David Thoreau. One of his more famous sayings was that men lives lives of quiet desperation. This morning two brothers and i read a passage in Mark 9 about a man whose son was being tormented by a demon. The man had approached the disciples of Jesus while He was on the mount of transfiguration but they could not help the father. After Jesus descended the father approached Him. "If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." (v. 22b. ESV) Jesus replied, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes." (v.23)The father cried out, "I believe. Help my unbelief!" This man was desperate. He could not alleviate the condition of his boy nor could the disciples. Jesus was his last hope. In times of crisis we will try anything that might possibly help us. Often it is these times of crisis, when God can get our attention, that He can work most powerfully in us. But what about when times are good? If we learn and follow Biblical principles we can avoid many issues and problems in life. We are tempted to say, as King Hezekiah did, "There will be peace and security in my days." ( Isaiah 39:8b ESV) We need a holy desperation to go beyond the comfortable life that many Christians live in North America to cry out to God for deeper, more profound relationship with Him. we cannot be satisfied with the crumbs beneath His table when He has a feast waiting for us. "O taste and see that the Lord is good!" ( Psalm 34:8a)