Religion; An alarming lack of desperation for fellowship, communication

By Pastor Chris Wall

As I continue on in my journey of the Christian walk, I am alarmed by the lack of desperation I often feel for fellowship and communion with God.

Chris Wall

Imagine for a moment that you were diagnosed with a terminal illness, and a medicine that would address all your maladies was set before you—you have access to it anytime you want, and all you must do is simply take it.

Such is the nature of prayer in light of the sickness I find within myself and those around me, namely, sin.

At any moment my heart desires, I could bow my head, close my eyes, and fall to my knees, crying out to God. And yet, so often, I neglect this.

Now, what is my excuse—time?

Pride?

Carelessness?

The truth is, it is probably some horrific combination of all three, along with various other things.

What we need so badly is seriousness in prayer. We need to find a place of quiet solace and spend deep, meditative time alone with the Lord—begging, pleading, that He would intervene.

That He would change our hearts. That He would make us right with Him. That He would expose our sin and help us overcome it. That He would work in the hearts of friends and family. That He would restore marriages and heal homes.

We do all of this with the underlying reality that God will do what is best and most in accordance with His holy will—but we plead nonetheless.

I am challenged as I consider how the psalmist yearned for God: “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1–2). Again, he writes, “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). Such language confronts me and makes me ask: Does this reflect my heart, too?

I write this with deep conviction on my own behalf, for I fail as much as anyone in having appropriate passion in prayer and desperate pleading with God—that He would change my heart to be more aligned with His will and more conformed to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray the Lord would grant us all the grace to find ourselves desperate and hungry for a greater passion and love for Him!

Chris Wall is the Pastor of Mesquite Baptist Church (750 W. Pioneer Blvd., Mesquite, NV, 89027)–Additional resources can be found at “mesquitebaptistchurchnv.com” and on YouTube and Instagram at “mesquitebaptistchurchnv”