Pressing to Break Through

There is much to be learned about perseverance, determination, and humbleness in viewing the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. She was not above begging and pleading to get what she needed. She was seeking Jesus to save her daughter from demonic possession. She was a woman with a mission. She yelled, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer her. She was a foreigner. The disciple asked him to send her away, because she continued to call out after them. Jesus answered her, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman was undeterred. The woman came and knelt down before him. "Lord, help me! she said. He replied, "It is not right to give the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." She persisted. She humbled herself further and said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed that very hour. This woman was unrelentless. She didn't care that she wasn't the right nationality. She didn't care if anyone heard. She didn't care what anyone thought. All of that was irrelevant to her, because she had an issue that she knew Jesus could end immediately. The first time she approached Jesus with what she wanted he ignored her. That didn't stop her. She didn't get an attitude. His response to her was, "I was sent to the lost sheep of Israel." Basically he was saying, "I'm not here to help you. I am under no obligation what so ever to help your kind." How many of us would have been more than a little put off? We would have said, "The nerve of him" and left without getting what we so badly needed. She persevered. She was focused on Jesus, because she knew he was the only one who could help her. She knelt before him and said, "Lord help me." She was desperate. Jesus was the only help for her daughter. Jesus said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." The children he was referring to were the Israelites. The dogs were the gentiles, everyone else. Jesus was saying why should I take my gift intended for the Israelites and give it to their dogs? He called her a dog. By this time, some of us would have been thinking, "No, he didn't. I know he didn't just call me a dog. Forget it. I'm out of here." Our daughters would be lost. This Canaanite woman humbled herself and remained focused because she knew her assignment...get my daughter help. She knew without a doubt that Jesus could do it. So, she pressed. She would not quit. She would not give up. She would not allow herself to become distracted by the name calling. She put her flesh down. "Yes Lord," she said, "But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table." She was saying Lord you're right; however, can't I just get the crumbs? Can I get the little morsels that fell from the master's table? I know I'm not an Israelite. I know you're not obligated to give me your gifts. I know I'm being a nuisance. I know that. I still desperately need what you have. I still know that you can save my daughter. The crumbs from you're table will be sufficient to heal her. The woman would not rest. She was determined. Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. The Lord was telling her that her faith was so great that although what he had was not intended for her, he had to give it to her to reward her great faith. His action said, "Because you have not turned away but remain boldly standing, I must reward you. She remained constant. She remained fixed on her assignment. No matter what the Lord said, she wasn't leaving until she received what she came to get. She got it. Jesus was moved by her great faith. He was moved by her standing on her faith. He was moved by the determination of her faith. She fulfilled her assignment. How many of us know how to stand like that? How many of us could have endured what she did? Could we have patiently endured being ignored, being talked about, being told that what I have isn't for your your kind? How many of us would have left dejected and feeling sorry for ourselves. How may of us would have said, "Well, I tried. It wasn't meant to be." How many of us would have wanted to give the Lord a piece of our minds? Well, we must if we expect to get the results that she did. See, she didn't care because she had a need that only Jesus could meet. Her need for her daughter caused her to do some things that she may not have otherwise done. Her daughter's life depended on a move from Jesus. Christians must stand as she stood on the very word of God as though our lives depend on it. There is no other option for us. There is no retreat. So many times when we stand on the word of God and things don't happen when or how we think they should we throw up our hands in frustration. We may think something similar to, "I guess this isn't for me." We don't stand boldly and determined as though our very lives depend on it. See, the Canaanite woman was driven by the need of her daughter so much so that there was only one option to her situation...her healing. That was it. She refused to settle for anything less than healing for her daughter. That's the type of faith we need. But guess what? Unlike the Canaanite woman, he is for us. His word is for us. According to 2 Corinthians, "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ." That means that what God says we can have, we can have. We don't have to beg, nor do we have to plead. We must act as though these verses are true. Just as the woman had to walk out her faith and stand when faced with adversity we must also do the same. We must stand when it isn't easy. We must stand when it doesn't look like it's going to happen. Stop, quit, can't must be removed from our vocabularies. As Christians, we must consistently press our way to break throughs just as the Canaanite woman did.