Scripture Reference Mark 7 : 24-30

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 

²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” ²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” ³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

I think it is absolutely wonderful that Jesus could not keep his presence a secret! Prior to His ordination for ministry when the Spirit descended on Him like a dove, Jesus had no problem coming and going without notice, but afterwards during His three and half year earthly ministry He was in constant demand. This was the time that the Kingdom of heaven was at hand and the evidence of that fact was overwhelming!!  

Individuals seeking the Lord’s deliverance and healing, flocked to Jesus knowing that the power of the Holy Spirit was at work in Him to help them.  The woman in today’s text was yet another person desperately seeking out Jesus for help! Once she found out where He was she wasted no time in racing to the house and falling at His feet.

This woman pushed past her own possible questions and doubts! She pushed passed the obvious social, political, religious and ethnic barriers and would let nothing deter her from bringing her need to Jesus! How many of us would do the same? How many of us could say or will say, “I will do anything regardless of my own reservations even disregarding all the objections and judgments of the watching world in order to bring this need to Jesus!” 

This woman threw off the cultural and religious biases that stigmatized women! She threw off the social contempt that would be leveled against her due to the fact that her daughter was oppressed by a demon. None of it mattered to her! Her daughter was oppressed and she knew in her heart that only Jesus could save her! Jesus’ response was less than favorable. His response was not something she wanted to hear, however that fact did not dissuade her! Instead she responded, not argumentatively but humbly.  What many would perceive to be a dismissive or even apathetic response from God, she instead grabbed hold of and speaking God’s Word back to Him she prevailed in prayer! Her prayer went from travail to prevail because she sought the Lord Jesus out, pushed passed every viable reason why she should keep quiet and persevered in faith undaunted by every possible obstacle! Church! Her story can be our story if we will but pay the price she was willing to pay to have audience with God! That is what true faith is all about!