In Chapter 15, Matthew tells us about the gentile woman who comes crawling to Jesus for help with her demonically possessed daughter. The verbs used in describing her are interesting. First, she “heard” all about Jesus. Second, she “came” to Him. Third, she “fell” at his feet. Fourth, she “begged” for mercy. It appears that Jesus ignored her at first. The disciples encouraged him to dismiss her because she was embarrassing herself by such dramatic behavior. One observation about this story is her response to Jesus’ non-response. She just keeps on crying out for mercy and for help. Desperate times call for desperate action. She was desperate. At times like that we really don’t care too much about what others might think about us. We will do whatever it takes, regardless of the humiliation involved.
The Psalms are full of desperate cries for help. It’s during those times that we truly sense our deep need for God. When we come to the end our ourselves, like this gentile woman, we’ll finally sense the depth of our need for God.
It’s the desperate that God blesses. The beatitudes confirm that truth. Those who mourn, who suffer, who are poor, who are humble, have a great advantage over the rich and famous. They are “blessed” as Jesus says because the people who are rich, successful, and beautiful may well go through life without a sense of desperation of any kind. And if they do, they don’t readily admit it because it’s embarrassing to have to depend on the strength of someone else. But like this woman, it’s the desperate who cry for mercy, that Jesus responds to.
One of our former memory verses was Hebrews 4:16. It says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Chuck
“The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest…” Matthew 13:23