DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PERSEVERING FAITH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PERSEVERING FAITH

"Then Jesus went out form there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.' But He answered her not a word...." (Matthew 15:21-23)

Have you ever been in the situation where you cried out to Jesus in your desperation, and it seems He does not answer you? I know I have. It can be a real challenge to our faith when God does not answer.

Here was a Gentile woman who had apparently heard that this teacher from Israel was doing miracles, and she came in faith asking Jesus to deliver here daughter from demon-possession. She cried out to Jesus, but Jesus seemed to ignore her. That is strange because we know that Jesus showed His compassion in so many other cases – even to Gentiles.

Even though she was spurned, both by the disciples who wanted Jesus to send her away, but by Jesus Himself, she would not give up. She kept asking. She would not be deterred from her mission. I think this is a great example of persevering faith. She did not quit.

I think this was a test by the Lord Jesus to demonstrate the importance of continuing in our requests. This woman was a great example of faith in action. And she was rewarded by both receiving her desired request, but also the praise by Jesus for her faith.

Jesus told us to be persistent in our prayers. He said to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7). All of these verbs in the Greek text are the present tense. That is, ask, seek, and knock as a continuing practice. He said that our prayers would be answered. He did not say when. There is no time-table. But His promise is that these prayers would be answered.

So, like the Canaanite woman, we keep asking even when it seems that we get no positive answer. It may be a test of our faith when He does not answer immediately. Faith endures even when it seems the answer is "no.

Love, Dad