Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-

                 Salvation for all in Christ

Mark 7:24-30
 
Vs 28-30 "LORD," she replied, "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone”.
 

We meet several gentiles in the Bible who were helped by God. Among them, the account of the Syrophoenician woman is quite significant because of her conversation with Jesus. First, He is bringing out the central truth that salvation is to the Jew first. Even Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, drives that point home in Romans 1:16, “for I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Mark 7:25 reveals that when this woman heard that Jesus was in the area, she came immediately and fell down at his feet. She was a Gentile, a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She kept on asking him to cast forth the demon out of her daughter. The following qualities of the Syrophoenician woman helped in the healing her daughter.
 
Humility: Her reply was a statement of humility. In ancient Israel dogs were not household pets. They were considered unclean and not allowed in Jewish homes. The gentiles were compared to dogs and Jews did not associate with them in any way. Neither the Greeks paid any regard to Jews. Jews were inferior in their sight. The Greeks took prestige in their quest for wisdom and knowledge. The woman admitted that Jesus’ wisdom and power exceed the wisdom and knowledge of humans and he alone could set her daughter free. She fell at his feet and begged for his mercy.
 
Faith: Her reply was a statement of faith. The Bible says that the news about Jesus spread like wildfire because of the miracles he performed. She was aware of the custom that Jews did not associate themselves with gentiles because it made them ceremonially unclean. That is why she came to meet Jesus while he was alone. When Jesus said it’s not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to dogs, he was actually testing how genuine her faith was? He was pleased with her reply so much that He granted her wish. 
 
Persistence: Her reply was a statement of persistence. Instead of feeling embarrassed and going back home at Jesus’ seemingly rude saying, she insisted Jesus to heal. Persistency is an indispensable quality of prayer that God answers. Persistency cannot be used to limit God to the frame of our own thinking, (Luke 22:41-42). There are times that God’s answer is a “no” because he has a greater purpose and he grants us grace to move on with life, (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).
 
We learn from the account of the Syrophoenician woman about humility, faith and persistence. It reminds us that we must not lose heart when answers delay but pray without ceasing, (1 Thessalonians 5:17) because it’s persistence that releases the answers.   We need to cultivate great faith so that we may obtain salvation through the Great Physician.

 
PRAYER
Lord, teach us to be humble and persistent in our faith journey and fill us with Your grace to discern that You have a greater purpose for us all to move on with life.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Without faith, we cannot please God; Faith generates persistence that leads to Salvation. Great faith endures and leads to Salvation for all in Christ.” 

Rev. Manoj Idiculla
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind who are evil by nature, give good gifts t
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been a
Read more