Desperate Determination

[S] Matthew 15:25 --
But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 

[O] The Syrophoenician woman's attitude of seeking after Jesus' help was not only with desperation but also with determination.  She believed Jesus can heal her daughter so even though she ran into a dead-end street she did not give up but continued to seek favor from Jesus -- even just the "crumb" of his favor was sufficient for her so she continued to "bow down" and asked for Jesus' help.

[A] May be I have it too easy and I take the favor of Jesus on my life for granted but as I reflect on my own desperation of hanging on to the power of Jesus in my life, I am way short of this woman's attitude and determination.  I need to bow down before Him and simply ask "Lord, help me!"

[P] Dear Jesus, as time dashes by in the midst of whirlwind of events, I have not come before you on my knees to ask for Your awesome help in my life.  Please forgive me for trying to "do it" on my own instead of seeking the touch of your miraculous power.  Please help me, Lord, so I may lean on You 100% in 100% of my life.  In Your name I ask.  Amen.

When to Pray Desperately

[S] Judges 3:9 --
9 When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

[O] God hears our cries.  Well, He hears even our whispers but the point is that He hears with empathy when I cry out to Him which is a wonderful fact to treasure in my heart.  Even when the Israelites found themselves in deep trouble due to their own sinfulness of rejecting God, God's love for them overpowers everything to raise up a deliverer for  them.  God's power working in the midst of us are not with respect to how good a person I am but how desperately I lean on Him and His power.

[A] Whether my situation is desperate or not, I need to lean on God with total desperation because anything less than that means I am relying on my own strengths.

[P] Dear Father, what a relief and power this passage infuses in my heart because I am realizing more and more I cannot do a whole lot on my own especially with the family crisis at hand which even the best doctors have more unknowns than assurances of the situation in front of us.  I desperately ask Your intervention out of Your great mercy and grace in our family so that we may reflect the wonders of Your mighty power.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.