Desperation

Jeremiah 37:20 “Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there.”

Jeremiah’s prayer of desperation. He had been put in prison for prophesying against the king. While in prison, he was horribly mistreated and beaten, then neglected and forgotten. It was a place of darkness, loneliness and pain. “Don’t send me back there.”

Jonah’s prayer of desperation. “When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” Jonah was in the belly of the fish, a place of darkness, loneliness, and death. “Save me, dear God, from this place.”

Paul’s prayer of desperation. “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Paul was in the place of darkness in his own body. He was crying out from a place of darkness and war, mind against body, soul against nature. “I want to do the right thing, but I can’t seem to do it.”

Jesus’ prayer of desperation. “ ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” On the cross, Jesus cries out into the darkness, from a place of absolute isolation, excruciating pain. “Where are you Father? Why have you left me here, all alone?”

What is your prayer of desperation? What do you cry out to God when you are in the dark places, whether physically, emotionally, psychologically? Cry out to God. He hears your prayers and knows your state. He promises to hear and answer our prayers, according to His divine will and knowledge. I can’t promise miraculous deliverance. I can promise the assured presence, forgiveness and steadfast love of God, through His son, Jesus, our Lord and through the Holy Spirit. Know that he is there with you, wherever you are. You are not alone.

God, help me!