th of Pentecost
Matthew 15:21-28 (The Message)
21 From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon. 22 They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit." 23 Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy." 24 Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel." 25 Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me." 26 He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs." 27 She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table." 28 Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well.
“Great Is Your Faith”
The Canaanite woman wanted something of the goodness of God’s grace in her life too.
She persisted until she got it. She took the rebuke, came back for more, and hung in there until Jesus could only do what he came to do - bless her.
It is often our vulnerability, our deep needs, which lead us into the arms of a loving, gracious God. It is also our persistence - our faith which will not give up - which sees the worst in life redeemed and turned into blessing.
Expect to have something of the goodness of God’s grace in your life - and don’t give up until it happens!
"Never, never, never give up!"
~ Winston Churchill
Prayer thoughts for the week.
Lord, help me to not give up even when all is dark.
Help me to persist until it all becomes a blessing.
Give me the faith of the Canaanite woman.
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