Hey Bloggy Friends,
Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and offers to help me the next time I take a tumble.
I'm doing a Bible Study with the in-town Proverbs 31 staff and we're studying the most wonderful book "He Speaks to Me" by Priscilla Shirer
I can hardly wait to share what we are learning. Here's just one little tidbit from our study today.
In discussing the Canaanite woman who called out to Jesus to have mercy on her daughter in Matthew 15:22.
"Undeterred by the Master's silence, the Canaanite woman continued to beg Him for help.
He gave her a reason for not helping her (vs24). She ignored it.
He insulted her (vs26). It didn't matter.
She didn't care what the reason was or what others thought of her.
She just kept coming. She fell down before the Lord, willing to accept whatever He would give."
"She left the presence of the Master knowing more about the silence of God.
When she received no response, she bowed lower to the ground.
She humbles herself further and persisted in her request.
I wonder if she would have been as humble and persevering a believer if she had received an immediate response."
What are your thoughts sweet freinds as you wait to hear from the Lord?
Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and offers to help me the next time I take a tumble.
I'm doing a Bible Study with the in-town Proverbs 31 staff and we're studying the most wonderful book "He Speaks to Me" by Priscilla Shirer
I can hardly wait to share what we are learning. Here's just one little tidbit from our study today.
In discussing the Canaanite woman who called out to Jesus to have mercy on her daughter in Matthew 15:22.
"Undeterred by the Master's silence, the Canaanite woman continued to beg Him for help.
He gave her a reason for not helping her (vs24). She ignored it.
He insulted her (vs26). It didn't matter.
She didn't care what the reason was or what others thought of her.
She just kept coming. She fell down before the Lord, willing to accept whatever He would give."
"She left the presence of the Master knowing more about the silence of God.
When she received no response, she bowed lower to the ground.
She humbles herself further and persisted in her request.
I wonder if she would have been as humble and persevering a believer if she had received an immediate response."
What are your thoughts sweet freinds as you wait to hear from the Lord?
4 Comments:
Zoe,
I know for me when I am humbled before the Lord with a request, and don't get answered right away, it always has been best for me. When I look back on my life as a nonbeliever, it wasn't about wandring what things the Lord wanted for me. It was always self driven.I also think that by waiting on the Lord, we stay humble. Unbelievers might rely on luck, good fortune or themselves. It is hard to know what she would have done. I can guess that she proubaly wouldn't have been so humble if she was an unbeliever.
Good Study,
Diane
Zoe, I've been reading and following along with this study and commenting on Lynn Cowell's blog each Thursday. I'm also leading it every Monday night in my home. Great book!
Ah, the silences of God. I wrote about that in a comment on Lysa's blog this morning. I've known His silences in the past. Unfortunately, at times, instead of persevering and waiting, His silences have been interupted by Satan trying to convince me that God doesn't hear, doesn't care and is never going to answer. I hate to admit, that in the past, I have believed those lies and it's caused me pain, loneliness and feelings of abandonment.
Over the years the Lord has taught me that my reaction to those times of silence is vital. I read recently that His silences can be a sign of our spiritual maturity. God can be silent with those He knows will keep seeking, loving and trusting Him even in the silence.
I think we need to be persistant in prayer and NEVER give up. I'd hate to be one day short of receiving the answer. We must keep hoping and believing that in His time God will answer. His answers are never late, and as I wait, I learn to trust Him.
Glad you're doing the study too!
Love & prayers,
Joy
Zoe, I can relate to this woman in Scripture. Silence is hard for me. But it has been in those times that God has really shaped and changed my life. I'm a marketing strategist at LifeWay Christian Resources, the company that publishes Priscilla's study, "He Speaks to Me." I am grateful to hear that God is using her Bible study and ministry to bless your life. Stay on the journey!
I am currently writing on this incident and got a whole different interpretation as I studied on what was said in this conversation between Jesus and the Syro-Phoenician woman.
I don't think Jesus was insulting her at ALL. If you look at the Greek, Jesus used a different word for what is interpreted as "dog" in English. There is a word for the dogs that wandered the streets that the Jews used when they wanted to insult the Gentiles. To the Greek, this word also meant a shameless and audacious woman. In English we have a curse word that echoes the same sentiment, which also means a female dog.
However, the word Jesus used was different than this word. What he said would be more literally translated "little dog" or "puppy" and would be used as a term to describe a household pet, or a lap dog. To the Greek, this diminuitive term would be an affectionate one. Knowing this changes the perceived tone of the whole conversation.
He was not shutting the door to her. First the children of Israel were to be offered the Messiah, then the Gentiles. He was using a picture of a family gathered around the meal time table-- it was a picture of the priority that the Jews had enjoyed up until that point.
The woman may have been a part of God's metaphoric household (a child of God), but not a part of his special family (the nation of Israel). Jesus is making a metaphor here to describe the relationship that exists between the Gentiles, Jews, and God. He is not insulting her.
She answers that she will take the "leftovers" of what God has provided for His people. She was pointing out to Christ that the puppies can eat while the children are still eating. His grace, even the leftover grace, is enough.
And so it was. Enough for the rest of us, even when extended to Israel first.
Hope that gives you more to chew on. Happy studying!!
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