Deep Faith
There are times my faith seems shallow. I’ve allowed doubt to sneak in and scare me. There are times the circumstances I’m in, begin to define me. I remember during the great recession, when financial struggle was real and intense – I think my faith grew deeper and wider. When things are easy and “normal”, it’s easy to fall into comfortable complacency. My deep faith calls me out of comfort and complacency to a unique journey. This is a journey where I’m following The Lord’s lead.
There is a story in Matthew that troubled me a bit. I read it several times seeking to understand. I read in a couple of different versions as well. After watching The Chosen, I think this situation may have been significantly different than it appears. Check this out…
21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”
23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”
24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”
26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed. (Matthew 15:21-28 NLT)
It appears to be a test from Jesus. The woman passed in flying colors! She was desperate and had deep faith. She was tenacious. She was persistent. She was a worshipper of Jesus, probably before knowing exactly Who He was. Jesus rewarded her tenacity, persistence, her worship, and her deep faith.
I want to cultivate a deep faith. I want my faith to become more tenacious and persistent.
Pressing On!
Dwayne