August 30, 2014 Jesus' Time

Jesus’ Time

Matthew 15:21-23 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”  

AS Jesus is in Tyre and Sidon, he is mostly among Gentiles, people who are not Jews. He does not restrict his ministry to Jews only, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Yes, the Lord’s world is the Lord’s pulpit, and he will proclaim in the world that he has come to set the captives free.

     Then out of the crowd comes a Canaanite woman who admits she and her daughter are captives to evil. First, she confesses Christ as “Lord.” as she recognizes Jesus’ authority to free her.  She then pleads, “Have mercy on me.” because she knows she is a sinner who needs Jesus’ compassion and forgiveness.

     It is then that she petitions the Lord for her great cause, which is to free her daughter from demons. Her daughter needs saving, and the woman knows Jesus is her only hope. Yes, she comes in humble faith and desperate hope. But then, “Jesus did not answer a word.”

     “Uh, Jesus, why the silence?”

     Do you often ask that question? I do. I cry out, “Lord, have mercy on my friends. Why the silence?” But I hear not a word.

     That’s when we have to wait. Jesus wants us to pursue him, to humbly trust him and to keep our hope in him.  

LIFE Link: Time is the Lord’s.