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40 DAYS - Day 17 - 3.9.21

Love Goes the Distance - Day 17 – Tuesday, March 9th – Pastor Amie
Scripture Reading - Mark 7:24–37; focus on 7:24–30
Remember to Pause | Read | Reflect | Listen |Pray | Journal |Practice | Encourage/Share |Fast

Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

“First, let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.


I’ve heard it said, “There are cowards, there are regular people, there are heroes, and then there are parents.” Talk about relentless faith! Here is an entirely inappropriate altercation with our Messiah! This pagan woman, who is a gentile, approaches Jesus completely unannounced and uninvited. As a mother with a child who is suffering, none of that matters to her. She enters into His presence after hearing of the works He’s accomplished and begs Jesus to heal her child. Jesus’ response here concerns most readers as He seemingly refers to her as a “dog.” This often derogatory statement is used against the Gentiles to proclaim they are wild, dirty, and unclean! The actual translation of the word Jesus uses here more closely matches the word “puppies.” 
This woman knows something most people of her day miss. That the blessing Jesus offers the Jews flows out onto the Gentiles in all His goodness, while restoration came first to the Jews, it ultimately would flow through the entire world! She was willing to glean as a puppy under the table simply to receive the goodness of God. Talk about unwavering faith within true humility! In this, Jesus grants her request and heals her daughter. Do you have this kind of radical, unrelenting Faith in what God can do in your life?

Prayer Focus – Today, we are praying for our local and community leaders—that their hearts would desire to lead our community to express the compassion and love of Jesus Christ.

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