Cont’d from the Home Page
I was thinking about this as I prepared to speak and minister at our monthly Pool of Bethesda meeting. Many times we pray because we have a need that requires God’s attention. It can be because we’re sick, have relational issues/crisis’, financial needs, or whatever. But what happens when it seems like God is not listening to us? It may feel like the words barely get out of your mouth and then hit the floor.
We start to think,”does God love me? Why is He letting this happen? Doesn’t He see that I’m in a real pinch here?!”
The truth is, He is very well aware of what is going with you. I was reading in Matthew 15:21-28 and it’s about this woman who had a severely demon-possessed daughter. She went right up to Jesus and told Him. What did He do? Nothing…didn’t even say a word. It looks like He completely ignored her and her terrible situation. Even His disciples “urged” Jesus to send her away because she kept after them asking them to help her and her daughter.
When Jesus finally speaks, He did not give the answer she was looking for. How frustrating can that be?! He said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Was He really being that cruel? If He is love and really cares about people, how could He first ignore her, then basically say – “sorry, not part of my pay grade!”? Don’t worry friend, the answer is coming…
What is remarkable about this woman is she was not going to be denied. She kept after him. Not even the God of all creation could deter her. She came back and asked Jesus to help her AGAIN!
Jesus told her basically no…AGAIN. He said, “It’s not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Again, not really the answer she was looking for. Why didn’t Jesus say OK from the get go? It seems like He is torturing this woman…but He’s not. Sometimes people get bitter towards God because He doesn’t move or do things the way we want them to. This is where trust comes in.
Again, this woman astounds me. She was not intimidated, but her love for her daughter was not going to allow her to be deterred easily. She responded to Jesus-”True Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.”
I don’t see anything from this passage that indicates she was bitter in any way…but it does show her determination to not give up. Love will do that…
Finally, we start to see what Jesus was getting at with this woman. He said to her “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”
I believe Jesus was drawing out of her that which is more precious than gold or silver that perishes…her faith! That seed in her…the seed of faith to believe that Jesus could set her daughter free, was drawn out and manifest and it touches Jesus greatly…
You see, He wasn’t being unkind or uncaring. He was working in a way to be a lesson for all us…
Other than you, there is nothing more precious to Him than your faith. It’s that faith that can move mountains…it’s that faith to make the seemingly impossible, well possible! It’s that faith in which we believe in Him. We have never seen Him, yet we believe He is alive and He is real! The angels that circle His Throne see Him in all of His glory. We on the other hand, well, we grope about this time on earth and believe that He is even though we have never seen Him.
So, when it seems like Jesus is ignoring you or He is not giving you the answers you want to hear, rather than giving up, keep pursuing Him. He’s not ignoring you! Keep asking and don’t give up! Because He loves you, there is something at work here that is more than just your asking. He is drawing out your precious faith dear friend…
Let me close with this – it’s from Mark 11:22-24 – Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘be removed and be cast into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Do not doubt my friend…it’s not easy, but hold onto to the promises of God and believe…you are loved!
