Desperate

Psalm 27:4 - One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. 

I can write about Jesus' love and offer suggestions on how people can come to Christ and for what reasons and there's nothing wrong with any of these things. Jesus is in love with us, whether we know Him or not. It is His desire that we all know Him in a very deep way, that we know His love and we realize our love for Him in a real way. 

Coming to the Lord, receiving Him into our lives is all He desires. Read my blogs and you'll hear repeatedly about relationship with Jesus over religious rituals. There are reasons why receiving Jesus should be done and many benefits in receiving Him. The blessings, the peace even in the midst of difficulty, the assurance of our souls for eternity. All these things are real.

What we need more than anything else, however, is a desperation for Him. We cannot settle for "Jesus loves me" and "He abides with me" or "I am saved by the blood of the Lamb." We need to be desperate for Him. We need to get to a place where we cry out for His glory to be seen in our churches, in our families, in our lives. We need to cry out for His Holy Spirit to consume our church services. Not that we experience some physical manifestation but that we feel, individually and as a congregation, the very presence of God among us. It's hard to describe what that feels like.

I remember one time when the presence of God was so real during worship one morning that I was completely oblivious to everyone and everything around me. I saw the Lord as if in a vision. It was so real and so completely marvelous. As He walked down the aisle and passed alongside where I was sitting that "peace that passes all understanding" came over me. I did not cry, I did not rejoice. I just felt such strong peace and like warm oil being poured over my head. I never wanted it to stop. That's what being in the presence of an Almighty God should feel like.

I've experienced it in another way, too. I've experienced sitting with Jesus and from behind He wrapped His arms around me and that same peace overcame me. It was at a time when I needed that specific "hug." I knew I was forgiven and that He loved me and was comforting me.

These things may sound strange to some, but this is all so possible if we have a true desire for the Lord. We are headed for desperate times and we desperately need God to strengthen us. We cannot be strengthened without His Spirit. 

Some may have felt distant from the Lord. Some may have completely walked away. Some might feel He has remained quiet, maybe too quiet, for awhile. These things do happen. Wait on God. He might be testing you to see what you will do. Will you become desperate again for Him? Will you call out for Him? 

I think about how between the last book of Micah in the Old Testament to the first book of Matthew in the New, there was a four hundred year gap. God silenced Himself for four hundred years. He waited for the desperation of His people. Then He "spoke" again through the Word Himself, Jesus. The rest is His-story.

We have not known calamity in this lifetime. We've had it so very good. We've had more and done more than we could ever have expected. We've seen prosperity; we've lived prosperity. What will we feel if this is all taken away from us through natural disaster or terrorism. Think it can't happen? What's all the news about?

Again, I bring up what the Bible has told us: there will be wars and rumor of wars… If the Bible says it, it will happen. There's been talk about the world ending in 2012. I don't believe that, but I do think it's possible that some tragedy could put us in a place where it will seem like the world, as we've known it, has ended. If that happens, will we be prepared? Will that strength in the Lord be evident and lived out? 

Don't think for a second I hope this will happen. I'd like to believe it can't happen, but I also don't want to be someone whose head is buried so deep in the sand that I'm not at least a bit prepared for this. 

Think about what it would be like without transportation, without fuel, without electricity, without internet or phones or any sort of communication. Wouldn't it seem like the world had ended? Everything we so totally rely on coming to a complete standstill. Not even knowing if friends or family in the next city are okay because the only way to connect with them is talking to them. Wouldn't that bring a great amount of fear?

That's where having the knowledge of a God, Jesus, our Savior, is so important. I'm sure if this happens, there will be a lot of desperation coming from people. 

Better to have a desperation for Jesus now, to be fully aware of who He is and what He can do, have the trust and faith in Him now. We ought to have this desperation for Him. We need to be desperate about our futures and Who it is taking us there. 

Whether we know that we know the one true, living God or haven't a clue, we can always ask for Him to show us again or for the first time how to be desperate. He will draw us closer or He will draw us for the first time. If our hearts are truly desiring His peace, His wisdom, His knowledge, He will reciprocate. Let us not harden our hearts. Let us not allow the enemy of our souls grab hold and take us to a place where desperation is futile. Let us become desperate for Jesus.

Psalm 84:2 - My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.