Have you had a request turned down? Has there been something you desired very much that you were denied? Did you continue to ask for it? Or did you give up after requesting it once? How deeply did you desire it?
I dare say there has been something we have asked for that we thought we wanted badly. However, when we were told no, we gave up—even if it was not a direct no. We do not always want things as much as we might initially think we do.
In today’s passage, a non-Israelite woman is asking Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus responds that He came for the “lost sheep of Israel” (v. 24). She continues to beg for his help. Again, he replies that you don’t toss the children’s food to the dogs. But she humbles herself and continues to ask.
Notice she doesn’t deny being the dog, the outsider. She accepts the answer Jesus gave, but she states that even those who are not children get the scraps. She appeals to Jesus’ mercy, is unrelenting, and even follows along with the metaphor He uses. Obviously, this woman was willing to do whatever it took to heal her daughter.
In the case of this woman, it was a desire to receive help for her daughter. But we can apply her persistence to other desires. In some cases, it boils down to whether we are willing to humble ourselves before God or not. Too often, our pride is more important to us than acquiring something we desire, perhaps even need.
God will not withhold anything we need. He may test us, wanting us to give up our pride and humble ourselves before Him. He wants us to recognize Him as God, as Creator, as the Almighty. Our pride keeps us from doing that.
I pray we all recognize God for who He is. I pray we humble ourselves before Him. I pray each one of us will continue to seek what we desire and release our pride before our Holy God. Ask God for your needs. Ask God for your desires. Humble yourself before God. Release your pride.
Matthew 15:27-28 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Marty Pressey 