Is Jesus Ignoring Me

Jesus was passing through Tyre and Sidon when a Canaanite woman cried out to Him. She was begging for Him to heal her daughter who was vexed by a demon spirit. Jesus appeared to not pay any attention to her and she still kept crying out to Him. The disciples were obviously weary of her and asked Jesus to send her away. Jesus replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (v. 24) She got on her knees and begged for mercy.

Yet still Jesus didn’t offer healing at that moment, but instead explained that it wasn’t fair to take food from the family to feed the puppies. The Canaanite woman didn’t miss a beat when she replied that even the puppies eat crumbs from the table. Jesus was amazed at the faith of this Gentile woman and her daughter was healed in that moment.

Why didn’t the Canaanite woman give up after calling on Jesus a few times? She could’ve shrugged her shoulders and walked away thinking she wasn’t good enough, not religious enough, or not Jewish at all. She had a certain gumption that wouldn’t let go of Jesus even when He seemed hesitant right in front of her.

Yet what’s most amazing about this passage isn’t so much the tenacity of the woman as the reluctance of Jesus. He wouldn’t answer her right away. It’s as though He was pulling on her to dig deep in her faith to not let Him go until He healed her daughter. While the disciples were regularly exposed to Jesus’ miracles—the Canaanite woman was not and yet she had the faith to believe in Him. Jesus wants us to not give up when it seems like He may not be listening.

We have to dig deep in our faith and refuse the lies of the enemy in our minds. We cling and pray God’s promises from the word even though everything around us seems to be going in the opposite direction. It’s impossible for God to fail His word…He will accomplish everything He promised to do in our lives. Keep praying. Keep trusting. He will move in our behalf.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I press. I press. I press into you for everything I need to do your good will. I can do nothing without you. Send your deliverance in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In His Service,

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