Word of Life
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- Jun 26, 2006
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PRAY
Lord, teach me how to pray with boldness and persistence, yet be ready to receive Your reply whatever it is.
READ
Matthew 15:21-28
[21] Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. [22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. [23] But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. [24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [25] Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. [26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. [27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. [28] Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
KJV
MEDITATE
"I choose kindness...I will be kind to the poor for they are alone. Kind to the rich for they are afraid and kind to the unkind, for such is how God treated me" (Max Lucado).
The disciples are clearly annoyed at the pushiness and persistence of the Canaanite woman. As a non-Jew she did not have to observe all the protocols that Jewish people accepted, and she was making herself a nuisance. Even Jesus seems initially reluctant to get involved, but he will not simply send her away as they ask. Instead, he explains his ministry and calling to her. He has come to minister to Jews alone: to take on the needs of every ethnic group would be to spread the resources far too thin.
The woman has only one thing on her mind - her sick daughter. She has no doubt that Jesus can heal her. She doesn't argue against the unfairness of exclusion. She doesn't insist on moral rights or on what she deserves. She just begs. It is her very acceptance of her unequal status which seems to win the day. She is not asking to sit at the table and enjoy the rich food provided for the Jews. She just wants the crumbs that fall. And Jesus seems delighted with her reply. He commends her depth of faith and grants her petition.
What was it about this encounter that was so striking to Jesus? The woman's bold persistence? Probably. Her lack of intimidation? Possibly. Her faith? Definitely. But it was also her defenseless humility. She comes to him in her utter need, as the only one who can help. But she comes also in utter modesty, assuming nothing, ready to receive anything at all from Jesus. And surely that is true for us too. It is when we come humbly but boldly, with open hands to receive whatever God gives, that God can work the greatest miracles in our lives.
APPLY
What can you learn from the Canaanite woman? If there is something you need from Jesus, come to him now - humbly, boldly, and ready to receive from him whatever he chooses to give you.
PRAY
Our Father, You have blessed me in so many ways, for which I thank You. Give me a heart to trust You to meet all my needs as You choose is best for me.
By: Scripture Union
Lord, teach me how to pray with boldness and persistence, yet be ready to receive Your reply whatever it is.
READ
Matthew 15:21-28
[21] Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. [22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. [23] But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. [24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [25] Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. [26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. [27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. [28] Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
KJV
MEDITATE
"I choose kindness...I will be kind to the poor for they are alone. Kind to the rich for they are afraid and kind to the unkind, for such is how God treated me" (Max Lucado).
The disciples are clearly annoyed at the pushiness and persistence of the Canaanite woman. As a non-Jew she did not have to observe all the protocols that Jewish people accepted, and she was making herself a nuisance. Even Jesus seems initially reluctant to get involved, but he will not simply send her away as they ask. Instead, he explains his ministry and calling to her. He has come to minister to Jews alone: to take on the needs of every ethnic group would be to spread the resources far too thin.
The woman has only one thing on her mind - her sick daughter. She has no doubt that Jesus can heal her. She doesn't argue against the unfairness of exclusion. She doesn't insist on moral rights or on what she deserves. She just begs. It is her very acceptance of her unequal status which seems to win the day. She is not asking to sit at the table and enjoy the rich food provided for the Jews. She just wants the crumbs that fall. And Jesus seems delighted with her reply. He commends her depth of faith and grants her petition.
What was it about this encounter that was so striking to Jesus? The woman's bold persistence? Probably. Her lack of intimidation? Possibly. Her faith? Definitely. But it was also her defenseless humility. She comes to him in her utter need, as the only one who can help. But she comes also in utter modesty, assuming nothing, ready to receive anything at all from Jesus. And surely that is true for us too. It is when we come humbly but boldly, with open hands to receive whatever God gives, that God can work the greatest miracles in our lives.
APPLY
What can you learn from the Canaanite woman? If there is something you need from Jesus, come to him now - humbly, boldly, and ready to receive from him whatever he chooses to give you.
PRAY
Our Father, You have blessed me in so many ways, for which I thank You. Give me a heart to trust You to meet all my needs as You choose is best for me.
By: Scripture Union
