Persistence

 

 Matthew 15: 21-28

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

We too must find the faith and persistence of the Canaanite woman remarkable, and, like Jesus, be moved to grant her request, if we could. . She did not let his apparent rebuff daunt her, but played on it and won his heart, and a cure for her daughter.  Is this how we approach Jesus in our prayer?  It takes boldness and that incredible love of a mother for a child to  push for what we want. May we learn from this woman how to ask,  and approach Jesus with the  same boldness and persistence that won his heart and admiration.

Bro. Rene