A GREAT FAITH

• DAY 212
• FEAR FILES: SYRO-PHOENICIAN WOMAN
• SCRIPTURES: MATTHEW 15:21-28

Then Jesus went out from 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. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Years ago, getting into the university was the highlight of my life. It was the one thing I thought would give me the freedom to live my life to the fullest and fulfill my dreams. I thought I would finally be independent. Clearly, someone lied to me. The only problem was getting an admission. At that time, JAMB had all the powers and it controlled everything. It even decides the school and the course you get to study. You could apply for accounting as I did and get sent to your 3rd choice school to study agric education. JAMB was the Goliath of every secondary school kid and we had to pass it by all means necessary. But the thing is, you could pass and not get in because you are not an indigene of the state the university is located in. (Yes, I know that sounds crazy but it happened to a lot of people.) It was so frustrating to have a high score and an indigene with a lower score gets in because they need to fill their slots.

This silly requirement is all I can think about as I write about this woman in our text today. She had a possessed child and she came to meet the demon caster but He starts by ignoring her. How could the savior not respond to a woman that needs saving? But Jesus ignoring her was not gonna work for this lady. She followed them around like a child who wants candy and she did not let the disciples silence her. Her daughter needed help, she needed help and this is no time to back down. If Jesus had done it for others why not her?

Keep At It

Jesus ignored her because she was a Gentile and not a jew. Yet we know that although Jesus was sent first to the Jews and through the Jews will reconcile the rest of the world, He had helped Gentiles like the centurion who had a heart for the Jews. Whatever Jesus’ reason was it wasn’t this woman’s issue, all she knew was that she needed help and help she will get, no matter what. A couple of us would have turned back when Jesus ignored us and called Him wicked. I know, I would have left offended when He made the remark about the dog but not this woman. Living with a demon in her house, inside her loved one was worse.

I get this kind of desperation. I had it when my sister was dying of cancer, I had it when we were broke. If you need help and you find help, you will not rest until they give it to you. This was the mindset this woman had even when Jesus said she was not qualified because she was not a jew. Yet, she released her faith for what she was unqualified for. She was literally told, this is for indigenes but she believed her miracle was in the hand of Jesus and she was going to get it no matter what. So she kept asking for mercy. And Jesus said she had great faith.

No Jew or Gentile

Beloved, sometimes you may feel like you are not qualified for a miracle. It could be that your actions created a consequence that you feel disqualifies you but the difference between then and now is that there is no Jew or Gentile and you have access to the mercies of God because Jesus died and declared everything finished. So you are qualified for all of God’s promises written in His word as long as you believe. If this woman could believe that Jesus can still heal her daughter even though she was not a jew, how much more you?

Don’t let anything make you give up on asking, expecting, and believing in a miracle. It is possible, you are qualified, and God is working on your behalf. He is not ignoring you. His silence is not a lack of love or a sign of disinterest. Trust Him and keep asking.

Shalom