S) "27 And He was saying to her, 'Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.' 28 But she answered and *said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.' 29 And He said to her, 'Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.' 30 And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left."
Mark 7:27-30 (NASB)
O) There was a Syrophoenician woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon. When she asked Jesus to cleanse her, the above conversation took place. This is because the Messiah was to come first to Jews. They had been waiting hundreds of years for hundreds of prophecies to come true, and Jesus was the fulfillment of all that waiting. He was coming to set the Jews free - only not how they expected. This was a spiritual freedom, a heavenly kingdom. Not a military freedom, or political kingdom. Jesus Christ was first for the Jews. But, it is noteworthy that Jesus didn't simply state that only the children eat, and not the dogs. He said first the children should be satisfied. That is to say, the promises of the Messiah were to be for all people. Indeed, that was the promise to Abraham, that through him all the nations would be blessed. But, it was indeed first to be offered to the Jews. Then, we see the wisdom in the response of the woman. She did not argue with Jesus. She recognized that He was for the Jews first. However, she also recognized that there was blessing by proximity. This has always been true with God. In the Old Testament, we see examples over and over. God would bless a person or a city, and the surrounding people would also be blessed (peace, prosperity, etc.). This Greek woman saw that Jesus was blessing the Jews, and she knew that the surrounding people were being blessed as well, even if it was indirectly. But again, Jesus knowing all things, understood to a greater degree, that indeed the gospel would go out to all nations - just not yet. Even still, because of the bold faith that this woman expressed, her daughter was healed.
A) Approach matters. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. However, being bold and being humble are not diametrically opposed. This woman showed that she was humble, in that she basically acknowledged (because she didn't even argue it), that the Greeks were dogs to the children of Israel. But, she was also quite bold, in that she would not be deterred from her goal to gain audience with Jesus. What alternative did she have? No one else would have been able to truly help her (and who knows what she had tried up until that point), and here was this man, Jesus (God, though she may not have known), who was routinely delivering people from demon possession. He was her only hope. She had placed all of her faith in Him delivering her daughter, before she ever asked Him to do so. This is the kind of boldness, tied with humility, that I should have when I pray. Even more so, since I know the truth that I am indeed on of the children! God wants me to be satisfied in Him.
P) Father, You are great and mighty to be praised! You are all-powerful, and great in lovingkindness and patience. Forgive me for my pride, in thinking I can do things myself, or else thinking that I am owed anything from You. I know You have promised good to me, but I acknowledge I often don't know what is for my own good and not. Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. Let me ask for things in bold, humble faith. Father God, as I pray throughout the day, as I think of needs of my own or others, remind me of this Syrophoenician woman and her faith. Let me be encouraged to be persistent and determined, while remaining humble. Be glorified in my prayers and in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment