Desperate for God

But as he went, the multitudes were pressing against him. And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years...came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak; and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched me? ... for I was aware that power had gone out of me." Luke 8:43-46 (NASB)

And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic... And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said... "My son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:3-5 (NASB)

Both of these testimonies in the Word of God are life changing examples of people desperate for God. The woman in Luke must have heard of Christ's miracles. Imagine, spotting Jesus from far away, fighting through the crowds, and becoming overwhelmed with the need for just one brush against Him. Imagine the people, scowling over their shoulders as she "rudely" makes her way through, eyes fixed straight ahead, desperate for His touch, His power, His healing.

The men in Mark show the same determined resolve. They are so desperate to get their friend to the Lord that they too, fight through crowds, disassemble another's roof, and lower their friend to the Savior's side. Can we even begin to grasp the gift of their desperation? Could we ignore the comments and critical looks of the curious multitudes, and push our way through with such tenacity in order to come face to face with the One who extends His power, rewards faith, and forgives sin.

Holy God, open our eyes to see this precious gift of desperation. Make us a people that are desperate to be in the presence, experience the power, and walk in the healing of the Living God. Grow in us, a desperate hunger to know the fullness of Christ. Enable us to fight through any distraction or complacency that would keep us from experiencing all we are in You. Make our desperation become so powerfully evident that it draws others to grow desperate for You, as well. Amen

Elizabeth Ward