Scripture

“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

Observation

Jesus explains His statement that people are not defiled by what they eat, but by the attitudes of the heart that are expressed by what comes out of their mouths. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile a person.

Jesus and the disciples head north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman pleads with Him to heal her daughter who is tormented by an evil spirit.

Jesus at first seems to refuse to help her, but as she persists, He sees her faith and tells her the child is healed.

Application

Faith in Jesus is what releases the power of God. In this passage, Jesus interacts with the woman in such a way as to provoke her faith. Then the daughter is healed.

What is the gradation between faith as small as a mustard seed that moves mountains and “great faith” that releases healing and deliverance?

In the case of this woman, it was the determination to persist despite Jesus’ apparent refusal to help her.

How many people pray one prayer for something only to give up when it didn’t happen straight away?

Many people give up praying for healing when the condition shows no immediate improvement or even gets worse.

Real faith persists and digs deeper when God seems to say “No.” Real faith holds on to God even when He seems far away.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to grow stronger in faith and to trust you even when my prayers go unanswered. Help me to cling to you until I get the breakthrough. Amen.