Jesus Moving Faith
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One remarkable faith story was the story of the gentile woman who came to plead with Jesus for her daughter to be healed. Let’s read it in Matthew 15:21-28
Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”
But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”
Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
Matthew 15:21-28 NLT
Jesus retired to Tyre, ostensibly to hide (Mark 7:24), but this gentile woman who lived around (the Mark account said she was a gentile born in Syrian Phoenicia; the JD Phillips Bible called her a “Canaanite woman”) managed to know where He was, and came pleading for her daughter to be healed.
“But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word.”
Jesus ignored her! And the disciples also urged Jesus to send her away, saying:
“She is bothering us with all her begging.”
She overcame being ignored by Jesus, and ridiculed by the disciples. She persisted! When she got Jesus to finally speak, what He said was heartbreaking:
“I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
Instead of walking away in defeat, she ignored what He said and rather came to worship Him, and said,
“Lord, help me!”
She was totally focused on the help Jesus could give her, and not the ridicule, rejection and humiliation she was suffering. But then Jesus dropped a bombshell!
“It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Being ignored, being called a nuisance and a beggar, and later being told you are an outsider; were enough to put a lot of people off! But being referred to as dogs is definitely a watershed moment! This woman still chose to focus on what Jesus could do for her, and said;
“That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
Jesus was greatly moved at her attitude: her lowliness and her belief in Jesus’ ability to help. This compelled Jesus to bend the “rules” in her favour saying:
“Dear woman, your faith is great. Your request is granted.”
And her daughter was healed, instantly!
How much have we endured to get Jesus’ attention? What humiliation have we suffered to get the miracles we want? How many insults have we suffered to move Jesus on our case? If faith were easy, everyone would have faith. In fact, we would not even need to pray!
Faith comes with some work, but often, our pride gets in the way. Pride and faith don’t go together. Pride focuses on self, faith focuses on God. Pride believes in self, faith believes in God! Pride is very toxic to faith!
For God to put anything in us, we have to empty ourselves. But often, pride makes us so full of ourselves, there is no place left for God.
The Woman emptied herself of everything, and Jesus filled her need! She gave up everything in her being, and Jesus reckoned that as great faith. He was moved to grant her request.
This is what I call “Jesus Moving Faith.“
MEMORY VERSE
“Your faith is great. Your request is granted.”
( Matthew 15:28 )
QUESTIONS
- Are you looking to Jesus to step into your situation?
- How strong is your desire and how firm is your belief .
PRAYER TIP
Father, please help me to have faith that can move Jesus, always.
URGENT CALL
Every soul is valuable to God, far more than the entire world! But by nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God, and we ultimately face his wrath!
God in His mercy and love made a way for us to remedy this. He gives us a chance to reverse this downward spiral to destruction, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God! A soul, much, much more valuable than the world, has been saved from destruction!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want
to make that decision.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page, or the ones at the top of this page. Don’t delay. Make this very personal decision today!
God richly bless you
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
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