Dogged Persistence

DAILY READING

Matthew 15:21-28

Today’s scripture reading is, to me, one of the most difficult passages about Jesus in the Bible. At first reading, it appears that Jesus — the perfect, sinless, all-compassionate Son of God — is being unkind. In his conversation with a Canaanite woman, Jesus appears to be hard-hearted, uncaring, and dare I say — even prejudiced. For all practical purposes, he calls this woman a dog.

Yet, the story has a happy ending. The Canaanite woman is not ashamed or intimidated by Jesus’ seeming unwillingness to help. Rather, she is persistent and acknowledges by her actions and words that she trusts Jesus’ ability to help her. Jesus, ever on the lookout for true faith, responds by finding that kind of faith in her and healing her daughter.

If the woman had not made the effort to go to Jesus and withstand his seeming reluctance, her daughter would have remained in bondage to demons. Like Jacob in the Old Testament, she grabbed hold of Jesus and would not let him go until he had blessed her child.

This odd story suggests to me two lessons about prayer. First, God is willing and able to help us, but sometimes it requires effort on our part — the effort of coming to God; of asking; of persisting in what may look like God’s reluctance to help. Second, often we must take the initiative on behalf of someone else — especially our children and grandchildren — to ask for God’s blessing. The woman risked rejection and humiliation for her daughter, not herself.

May we have the boldness and trust in God of this unnamed Canaanite woman.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

• Is there someone for whom you need to pray with the fearlessness and doggedness of the Canaanite woman?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• Make a list of people you know who could use your prayers. Every day, pray to God for them. Ask God to help them and answer your prayers.

PRAYER GUIDE

Lord, we know that your heart and will for us is always and only good. Strengthen our faith in you when it seems you are not listening to our prayers. Help us to have the persistence and faith of the Canaanite woman. Amen.

WRITE FOR THE FIELD GUIDE

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