THE DESPERATION ZONE

Have you ever been to the desperation zone? Its a place precious to God, but dreaded by many. It can drive us either to prayer or it can drive us to despair. The desperation zone is the place where all other courses of action have been eliminated, where you stand at the edge of the abyss, where you approach God with empty hands and an aching heart.

Psalm 107:23-30 describes it like this,

"Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven."

The sailors were in a desperate situation. There was a great storm and all of their seamanship skills were useless. The Psalmist describes their plight as being "at wits end". In short, they were in the desperation zone. So what did they do? They prayed! They cried out to the Lord who heard their desperate pleas and did for them what they could not do for themselves.

It seems for most of us that it is the desperation zone that forces us to pray. The times we often resort to prayer is when we have no other recourse, no where else to go, when we feel inadequate, helpless, and desperately need Gods help and intervention. 

I think this is the heart of true prayer and the place where true prayer is launched. We cry out from our heart in desperation to the only one who can help meet and satisfy our deepest needs. DL Moody once said, "whenever I am in trouble I pray. I'm always in trouble so I always pray." Moody had prime property in the desperation zone.

God offers this promise to those who live in the desperation zone in Psalm 50:15, "and call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” It does not take much to make us desperate.Each of us have a nerve that once touched, drives us right to our knees.

Desperate people pray because they have no other choice. They pray because the are starving; they pray because they are dying of thirst; they pray because they are being persecuted. It is pray or go under, prayer despair, pray or die.

Remember some of the people like you and me who lived in the desperation zone?
Jairus, who's daughter was sick and could not be cured, and no amount of his wealth could save (Mark 5:21-24). A woman with the I curable blood disorder prayed because no doctor had been able to cure her (Mark 5:25-34). They were desperate and Jesus so kindly heard them and answered there
desperate cry.

I have learned over the 39 years of praying how desperate I really am. Jesus said in John 15:5, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." Oh, how I deeply agree. I am so aware of my inadequacy in every area of my life. I have come to see that God is my only hope, my last resort, my one chance, my only solution.

I'm not saying that I always live like this. But whether I always feel or live it, my need for God is infinite and absolute. The desperation zone compels me to pray to God with the attitude, "if I don't pray, I won't make it". My need for God is as great as my need for air, water,food, and sleep.

 Without God, I am dead. So I pray and pray and pray and pray and pray. God help me, provide for 

me, heal me,strengthen me, save me, have mercy on me. 

Life is a journey and on it there are moments and places that feel safe, easy, comfort, and secure. But they are all an illusion and fleeting. As much as I'd like to stay in those places,we are never able to stay there. Inevitably we face new dangers, threats, troubles,and challengs, that bring us right back to the place called the desperation zone.

It is the place where God lives closer to,you than you could ever imagine. Will you join me there?

To be continued...