One Year Bible - March 15

‍Scriptures to read:

Matthew 15:21-39; Leviticus 26-27; Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26

Have you ever faced overwhelming odds? Maybe a career path that is seems impossible to prosper in, or a family born into that is stuck in a cycle of addiction, or a lack of a living home in your childhood. The list goes on and humans face challenges every day. We know this well from the past year of COVID that there is much adversity in the world to come. Despite this the woman in Matthew 15:21 begs Jesus for help. She knows she is a Canaanite and a natural born enemy of Jews. Her daughter is oppressed by a demon and she knows she needs help only someone truly spectacular can give or her daughter will likely die. She calls out to him, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David!” She is desperate and calls to the only one who can help and Jesus rejects her. This surprised me the first and second and even third time reading it but I think I see what Jesus is doing. He is testing her faith. He is trying to see how far she believes in him. Jesus even insults her by calling her a dog and what does the woman say? Not “How dare you? I’ll find someone else,” no. She say, “Yes lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs from the master’s table.” It is only now that Jesus blesses her and heals her daughter.

Faith is often spiting in the face of reason because we know there is something coming around the bend that we can’t see yet. Faith I believing in things not seen and here we see what great faith even from a Canaanite woman can do.

‍
Memory Verse: “Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God." - Leviticus 26:1

Prayer: Lord give me the faith to believe what I cannot see and the patients to wait for your answers. Help me to remember the goodness you’ve shown me and the answer to last prayers. Help me to love more fearlessly and to live in light of love. Amen

‍