Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 27: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to 72;
Nehemiah 9:26 to 38; Revelation 18:9 to 20; Matthew 15:21 to 28:
“But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.” (Matthew 15:25)
This is the unbreakable hold we have on God in Christ Jesus; He can’t refuse the word “help.” Help from God may not be packaged the way we expect it however. God is really good at surprises.
It is because of the woman’s faith that Jesus heals her daughter. I believe there are two components at work here. The first is the love she has for her daughter. I believe for the mother, and for us, that the power of our love for someone close to us, fuels our faith and humbles us. Too often our faith doesn’t have a focus. This Canaanite mother however, even though not a Jewish Israelite, brings her desperation to our Lord Jesus. She is grateful for whatever help she can get from him, explaining that even the dogs get the crumbs that fall from the master’s table. Her love for her daughter and her acquired faith in the man known as Jesus humbles her and she asks him for help. And, He does.
Second, this is a transitional move by God to include with the Jewish nation, all people beyond the Jews. It becomes clear that it is not genetics that makes one belong to the kingdom. It is faith. Have you heard about the healer whose name is Jesus? Do you love someone in trouble? Does this love and faith humble you? All you need to do is pray, “Lord, help me.” Or, “Lord, help him or her.” Appealing to God for help is a power we have that we don’t use enough.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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