Friends if you listened carefully to the gospel story, it appears as though Jesus was not very inclined to heal the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman who came begging him for a miracle. It also seemed as though Jesus had enough and just wanted to get away because scripture tells us that he entered a house and did not want anyone to know it. I know I have felt like that at times and I am sure you have too. Sometimes it gets so rough that you want to run away from everyone and just be alone. This usually happens when we undergo a lot of stress or worry. And so in terms of Jesus, something must have gone wrong for Him to feel like that and if you look at the many events that preceded, it is easy to understand why?
Look at it this way. Jesus’ public ministry lasted only three years of which the first two or so were wonderful. People from all over thronged to him and the blind had their sight restored, the lame walked, the deaf were made to hear and the dead was raised to life. But as the days moved on, Jesus began to become very unpopular. The Pharisees especially watched him very carefully with the intent of discrediting him. We know from last weeks reading (Mat. 7: 1 cf) that they remarked about the disciples who ate food without washing their hands and how this amounted to breaking of the law. People were taking deep offense at Jesus’ words and so, Jesus sought the seclusion of a friend’s home so that he can center himself but even though he wanted to hide, he could not because the second part of the verse 24 said “he could not keep his presence secret” . The more Jesus tried to hide himself, the more he became known. Jesus is not only the bright and morning star but also the light of the world. How can such a great light be hid in the darkness of a home? Who can hide the glory of the son?
Nevertheless, Jesus was distressed because he came to his own and his own did not receive him. And so, the time was coming for Jesus to reach out to those who were outside the sheepfold. To those who would receive Him, he gave them the power to be the sons and daughters of God. The Syro Phoenician woman who came to Jesus was outside the fold; she was a Canaanite woman and therefore a gentile. She came from a race that was cursed by God and represented a people who were idol worshippers. Stained with this sin and conscious of her demerit, the woman still sought the divine mercy of Jesus both for herself and for her demon possessed daughter. Jesus could not hide from her. She was persistent in going to the source of life and healing and when she found Jesus she fell at his feet and said “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil”. Wonder how many of us have the humility to fall at the feet of Jesus and cry out “Have mercy on me Lord!” Over the years, I have noticed that people find it difficult to even kneel, not because they have a physical or health problem but because it is all right not to do so. Some of the older Churchers have removed the kneelers and new ones do not have them at all! We reap only what we sow and as people who are stained with sin, we must be careful as to how we present ourselves to an Almighty and Holy God. We are not worthy to even be in his presence let alone being in a posture that is less than humbling!
I am assuming that this humble woman was a widow who in her heartfelt plea’s revealed her immense love and affection for her daughter. Her child’s misery became her misery but she also sought a blessing for herself because she said “Lord, have mercy on me”. I said this before, but Jesus’ response was rather cold and there seemed to be unwillingness on his part to do anything for her. On the one hand we are told that Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses (Matt.8: 17). Jesus also said “come unto me all of you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light”. Scripture also tells us that God said he would be a comfort to the comfortless, a father of the fatherless, and a husband to the widow? With Jesus’ silence, the woman must have been confused – she had come with a broken heart and much hope but failed to see the fulfillment of any of these great promises! Amd when Jesus finally spoke, matters got even worse because he said “ it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs”
The people of Israel were specially chosen by God to be his own children but they did not want any bread - the bread of life came to them but they rejected him. Imagine if your children refused to eat at your table, would you give up on them? Would you flag down a stranger from the street and ask them to sit down and have what you made for your children? No, it isn’t that easy, and Jesus was wrestling with something similar. On the other hand the woman did not give up. She kept knocking at the door even though as a gentile, she had no claim on the “children’s bread”. She was outside the family circle but all she desired were some crumbs off the table! Jesus couldn’t resist any longer and said “great is your faith, be it according to your will”. Behind His frowning countenance was an ocean of mercy and grace and his dispensation of grace to the woman and her daughter were only the first drops of a gracious shower which would one day drench the whole earth. You and I are caught in that shower and you could either allow yourself to be drenched with the spirit or you could run away and reject him like the children of Israel and not receive a blessing.
There are many who come to Jesus with a need and ask in prayer once, twice or even three times but when God is sometimes silent, they give up. It is easy to get discouraged and loose hope and the enemy would love to see you do that. The enemy would like to see you a looser and challenge God rather that allow you to get close to Jesus and receive a blessing. Notice if you will that the woman never allowed her sin stained past to dictate her future. She might have been an idol worshipper but vs, 25 tells us that “when she heard of him” she asked for mercy. Not only that, she never gave up - she kept pleading and begging Jesus to help! It is true that like the woman, you and I are unworthy but if all we ask is only for the crumbs, how can God refuse? If an idol worshipper could claim Jesus as her “Lord” why can’t you and me my friends?
When Jesus was silent, the woman never questioned the will of God, instead she dug her heels deeper and deeper in faith with a determination that eventually won his mercy. The woman was willing to take the lowest place, even the place of a dog under the master’s table so long as she received the master’s blessing.
Friends, the secret of God’s blessings is to lie low at the feet of Jesus from whom all blessings flow. We are to come in faith and receive in faith what God has in store for all those who love him. In a little while, you will come to his table not just to feed on “crumbs” but to partake in his body and blood. When you do that, come in humility, come with expectation and come asking for mercy - tell him your needs and receive in faith, showers of blessing not only for yourself but for your children and your children’s children. Amen.
