Psalm 119:145-152 (KJV)
145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.
150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
There is something about desperation that moves the heart of God. If God responded to need, then hospitals would close down, jails would empty, and the economy would never go into recession or depression. But God doesn't respond to need; He responds to faith. Read through the great accounts of faith in the Bible and you'll see that desperation is found in each of them.
- Esther - it's literally a life or death situation, as her entire race is threatened by an evil plot. She asks for everyone to join her in fasting and prayer.
- Jehosaphat - he and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem are surrounded by their enemy. No shots have to be fired, they can just starve them out if they want to. Desperation is seen when a solemn time of prayer and fasting is called for, and everyone in the city joins in unified prayer and fasting.
- The Syrophencian Woman - her daughter is vexed with a devil. She is not an Israelite, and Jesus plainly tells her this. But her desperation won't let her get offended, even at being referred to as a dog. Instead, she replies, "Even the dogs get to eat up the crumbs that fall from the Master's table" and Jesus honors her great faith by healing her daughter.
- Jarius - his daughter is sick unto death. He finds Jesus, worships Him, and asks Him to come quickly. Jesus begins to go with Jarius, but during their journey to Jarius' house, another desperate soul has pushed her way through not only the crowd, but the shame and guilt of a problem that has plagued her for 12 long years and taken all her life savings. She finally touches the hem of Jesus' garment and is instantly healed. While Jesus is talking with her, He says to her, "Daughter, go your way, your faith has made you whole." This is interesting because Jesus doesn't call anyone else "daughter." What you'll miss in the story, if you're not careful, is that while Jesus is speaking to this woman, a servant of Jarius has told him, "Don't trouble the Master anymore, your daughter is dead." I believe Jesus said, "daughter" loud enough for Jarius to hear, and not just for the benefit of the woman He had just healed.
Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with great examples of desperate intercession leading to divine intervention. I believe that 2 Chronicles 7:14 best sums up the heart of this blog:
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Without taking away from the beauty of this verse, or lessening it, you could sum it up by saying, "If we will.......God will..." In other words, we are not waiting on God; God is waiting on us!
When we get desperate enough to realize that God is not our last resort, but our first and only option, and when we act on that desperation, then believe me when I tell you that it will bring about divine intervention! God wants to intervene on our behalf. He wants to honor our faith in Him. Let's cry out with our "whole hearts" like the psalmist does in this stanza. In the first four verses (145-148) the psalmist expresses desperation:
- "I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD...."
- "I cried unto thee; save me...."
- "I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word."
- "Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word."
In the last (147-148), David is saying, "I rise up early, before the dawn..." and "I'm still awake, desperately praying before the night begins..."
In the parable of the unjust judge, a woman approaches him asking to be avenged of her adversary. Because she doesn't have any money to pay the judge, or bribe him, so he dismisses her case. This is why he is referred to as the "unjust judge." If you think political upheaval is new and only experienced since Watergate, you're sadly mistaken. Anyway, back to the point...
Day after day this persistent woman approaches the unjust judge until finally he gives her what she requests because she is so persistent, and quite frankly, bugging him. Jesus then explains that "God will avenge us speedily who ask."
It is not meant to paint God as the unjust judge. It's an "antitype." The point is that if an unjust judge will finally give in due to persistence, how much more will a loving God - The Just Judge - intervene on the behalf of His children who desperately intercede, asking for His help!
What is your need today? Are you willing to desperately intercede expecting God to intervene? I'll meet you in prayer friend... and remember, "The effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much!"
