Mark 7:24-30
“Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.”
Mark 7:24-30 NIV
Jesus and His leading followers are still in need of rest. The crowds have pressed upon them repeatedly. However, Jesus reputation has now grown, and He is well known even far away from His home and the center of ministry. Gentiles have heard of His power and know their need for help.
The way of Jesus is to love everyone not just those who agree with everything we agree with, who like the same political party or music or make the same amount of money or who have the same color of skin, or whatever it might be. It’s easy to judge those not like us, but Jesus showed us a different way.
He showed the Syrophoenecian woman a picture of the love of God by answering her request to cast the impure spirit out of her daughter. A closer reading shows that not only was Jesus talking to someone who most good Jews wouldn’t be talking to, but He also was in the region of Tyre a region no good Jew would be caught in.
You can picture the scene. Jesus enters the house. Maybe makes Himself a Dagwood sandwich, takes His sandals off, puts His feet up, puts His phone on do not disturb, turns on the game, and just as He gets ready to take a bite, there’s a knock at the door.
This woman He’s never met arrives. And this is where the story begins.
Whatever the exact meaning, this gentile woman didn't give up. She could have been insulted and refused to talk to Him. She could have been discouraged and left His presence, but she was not deterred. She used Jesus own analogy and answered by saying that even the family pets ate the crumbs under the table. She would be grateful for even a crumb from the Master.
Jesus could see that she truly believed and had faith in Him. The Bible says that by her answer, her daughter was healed. Jesus didn't have to touch the girl and He didn't need to say a word. The demon had left her.
In reading this story, I see that we must believe in God's ability to heal any situation, and we must believe in His love for us. We must STAY in His presence. Our prayer might require a dialog with God and we must not give up easily.
In that quiet, personal time of desperation when it's just you and God, ask for what you need from Him. Talk to Him as though He is Jesus, the man, standing there. Be assured that you are worth His answer and mercy. Know that the answer to your prayer might come at any moment.
The church needs this Gentile women’s example in an era characterized by a lack of genuine faith. Many claim to know much about doctrine, and many view certain doctrinal distinctions as barriers to true faith. But intellectual affirmation of a doctrine is not faith.
Genuine faith brings men and women to realize they are but dogs in desperate need of God’s mercy, resulting in repentance. Genuine faith opens eyes to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over all creation. Genuine faith provides courage and hope to men and women when they approach and make requests of God.
If we want to have great faith, it’s got to be a faith resting solely on Jesus Christ no one else will do. It’s got to be a faith resting solely on His mercy, not feeling like we deserve anything, because we don’t. It’s got to be a persistent faith, not a weak faith. And it’s got to be a humble, reverent faith, not like the flippant, self-absorbed faith we see in so many today. It is a faith that cries out incessantly to one person, and one person alone, for mercy. And that kind of faith Jesus likes, and notice, that is the kind of faith to which Jesus respond.
When we see people in the news that are far from God, it is easy to think they are too far for God to reach. Maybe it is their background they come from or the past life they lived that causes us to write them off and see that as too far from God's amazing grace. As we meet a woman who looks like she is too far from God because of her background. She ends up being the first one in the gospel to recognize Jesus for who He is and because of her great faith, Jesus casts a demon out of her daughter. What matters is not the background we come from but that they humbly seek God's mercy through Jesus, like this woman!!!
Father thank You for this day and for the journey of faith that we walk in You with. Lord let Your abundant blessings flow like a river over my friend and family today. Lord please help us awaken and realize that what we have to share with the world is You, not our technology, our culture, or our knowledge. Lord while many other things are good to share and we know we need to be generous in sharing them, please help us to be more passionate about sharing You both in our teaching and in our conduct. Lord use us today to be a living epistle for others to read. Daddy we love You amen. Be a blessing. Love ya
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