Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is Matthew 16:13-20.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

When Jesus asks His disciples who people say He is, it is for their understanding, that they might share their experiences with each other to better see how people are reacting to Him. Jesus didn’t care about His reputation or whether He angered some of the political and religious leaders, His only concern was for people to know God’s love for them and to deepen their connection with their Creator. Only by discovering our need for God and changing our lives can we become part of His kingdom work.

Jesus continues to challenge us to know who He is, who we are and what is required of us. He wants us to see both the blessings prepared for us and the tasks we face. He warns that it will not always be an easy path.

When we accept the relationship and the responsibility He offers, we become the disciples of today, representing Christ Himself to the world. Are you ready to lay down your own desires and do as He commands? Jesus calls each one of us to use our gifts to make the world as it was always intended.

Loving Lord, we hear the call You place on our lives. Help us to be strong in Your love and share the blessings of salvation with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

We hear Jesus proclaim “Woman, you have great faith” and that her daughter was immediately healed. Her faith in Jesus was the important part, but also important was her persistence. She was willing to do what ever it took to receive healing for her child.

Others have gone to great lengths to get Jesus’ attention and plead for His help. In Mark 10 we read of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar who called out to Jesus over the crowd’s attempt to silence him. Mark 2 tells of a paralyzed man lowered through the roof of a house so Jesus could heal him. A woman who suffered for years risks being trampled by the crowd to touch His robe and is healed, as told in Mark 5.

All of these teach us to persist in our faith, that it is essential we are steadfast in our belief in the Lord. Jesus said that there would be obstacles and it would not be easy, but He promised to be with us always. Through persistent faith we can make a difference in the world.

Loving Lord, we are weak but You are strong. Help us to live in persistent faith, standing with You to heal creation. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

How hard is it for us to ask for help? We have been raised to believe we are self-sufficient, to care for our own needs and help others in need, but what about when we need help? Are we able to reach out in faith to ask as well as to give?

Our situation with the COVID pandemic has caused great social upheaval. Many have been out of work, through no fault of their own, and for the first time in their lives, need to ask for assistance. I have heard from people who are ashamed to apply for unemployment benefits or visit the local food pantry. I have talked to business owners who grieve not being able to pay their employees or keep their operations going.

Jesus tells us that our faith is essential in times like this and like the Canaanite woman in our scripture lesson, we are allowed to ask for help. Matthew 7:7 tells us “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you”. Don’t give up trying, especially in troubled times. Trust in God and don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.

Gracious God, all good gifts are from You and we are thankful for Your care. Help us to care for others, sharing what You give and asking for what we need in faith. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

This passage contains one of the most problematic exchanges (for me) in all of scripture. It sounds like Jesus is going to discriminate against this woman because of her background. Would Christ really do that?

I prefer to think He was telling her that He was there for those who believed, not just those who wanted something. Through their conversation she expresses her belief in Him and the fact that “a little Jesus goes a long way” ( according to one of my Sunday School kids). Jesus is pleased with her response because it proves her faith.

Christ the Lord doesn’t need our help for anything, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). However, Jesus wants us to be part of His work and part of His kingdom. Through our faith we join with Jesus to heal the world.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the gift of Your Son who came to love and heal and save us. Help us to have a faith that answers the call You place on our lives and be part of Your plan for creation. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Jesus tells the Canaanite woman He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel, which is true but not the end of the story. Was He really going to refuse her plea because of that? Why did He go to there if not to minister to the people?

In John 4 we hear of Jesus going to Samaria, a “pagan” region according to Jewish law. More than that, He spoke with a woman there and brought faith to her village. John 3:17 tells us “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”. Jesus came to Israel but He came for all.

We may not know why Jesus said this – to test her faith? to teach His disciples? – but we know that after this exchange He healed the woman’s daughter. This is the example He gives us, to go to the “unclean” places and discover that the people there are just like us.

Loving Lord, help us to see we are all the same, children of God, united by Your love. Make our faith strong and persistent like that of the Canaanite woman. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

I have often had difficulty with this passage because at first glance it sounds as if Jesus might ignore this woman. That is so out of character for our Lord. We hear the disciples ask Him to send her away because she was a nuisance.

Do we dismiss people in need because they bother us or because they are different? The disciples didn’t understand why Jesus had come to this foreign region in the first place, but He never did anything accidentally or haphazardly. There was a definite reason Jesus brought them to this area.

The Lord wanted them (and us) to see the similarities, not the differences in people. It is hard to to do that from a distance and He intended that they experience it personally. If we are to bring the Good News to the world, we must first know our brothers and sisters and then reach out in love.

Gracious God, we are all blessed with the gifts we need to care for Your creation. Help us to see where the world is hurting and go to be part of the healing. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

The Canaanite woman has the best reason in the world to approach Jesus – a demon has possessed her daughter. She is aware that Jesus has healed others who have been afflicted in this way and like any good parent she is willing to seek any source of relief for her child. She calls to Him without any shame or concern for their political differences. She even uses His royal title, Son of David.

Jesus recognizes her love for her child and while she might not yet be a believer, she at least believes Jesus has the power to heal. She is willing to risk the anger of those around Him and the possibility of rejection by her own people in order to save her daughter. The love of a parent for their child is one of the strongest bonds in all of creation.

God knows this love, both for Jesus the Son and for all of us as His children, and He is always ready to do what is needed for us. In the same way God works through Jesus, He works in us. We are called to His healing work in the world, to reach all our brothers and sisters with His love.

Wise and wonderful God, You put Your love into us from the very beginning. Help us to show this love to all Your children, wherever they are and whatever their situation. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 15:21-28.

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 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.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Jesus went to many regions that faithful Jews wouldn’t normally visit due to the presence of Gentiles, those not of the Jewish faith, with whom they did not associate. Jesus loved everyone regardless of their heritage or background, and wanted His disciples to see that everyone is a child of God. By visiting Samaria, Tyre and other so called pagan regions, He taught them the importance of reaching out beyond their own community.

We are called to be aware of the issues in our society and in our world, and to share the love of Christ with them by our words and actions. We may never know them but we know they are there and we know we are called to be in ministry to them, regardless of their location, nationality or situation. Jesus didn’t look at the labels the society of that time placed on people and we are called to love others for who they truly are as well.

We all receive the challenge from Jesus to go beyond our comfort zone, to do what is needed for those we may not have associated with previously. He warned that if we “greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matt. 5:47) and if we are truly His followers, more is expected of us. God has placed a call on our lives to go and do in the world, to be the presence of Christ with those in need.

Gracious God, we have been blessed beyond measure and we know that these gifts are for us to share. Help us to hear Your call and see how we can meet the needs of the world in Your name. Amen.