Saint Sixtus II, Pope, and Companions, Martyrs
“Have pity on me, Lord, son of David! (Matthew 15:22)”
Despite being ignored and rebuffed, the Canaanite woman persisted. Please, please, please! If you’ve ever dealt with a child who desperately wanted something, you can imagine the feeling Jesus must have had. He could heal her daughter. He knew it. She knew it. Although she was not Jewish, she had some understanding of who he was—something more than just a holy man, a gifted rabbi, or a prophet. And she would not be dissuaded from her quest to find healing for her daughter.
Most of us would give up if we were denied and slighted as this woman was. But not her. She approached Jesus and “did him homage” (Matthew 15:25). She worshipped him. With her final plea, she reminded him exactly who he is. She reminded herself, too, and believed. She confessed what she knew about Jesus, what he said about himself, and what he said about her. Instead of taking offense at his words, she shaped her will and her feelings to these truths and persisted.
This is what we do when we worship God. We declare, “This is who you are. This is who I know you to be. And I believe these truths about you.” Worship like this has the power to strengthen our relationship with God. It can remind us of the reasons why we can hope and trust in the Lord. It can comfort us when we don’t immediately find the answer we seek. It can even give us reason and courage to continue asking in the face of silence, rebuff, or apparent denial.
Often, as we lose ourselves in worship, amazing things happen! Perhaps you will hear the Spirit speaking words of wisdom, comfort, or encouragement. You may even receive immediate, miraculous answers to your pleas. Whatever happens, you can be sure that your abandonment and persistence will bear fruit. Because when you worship, God sees your faith, and his heart is moved.
So if you want to see great things from God, worship him for who he is. Keep on declaring his truths, and he will answer.
“Jesus, you are God, all-good and all-powerful. You love all whom you have made, including me, and are merciful to all. I trust you today with the deepest desires of my heart.”
Numbers 13:1-2, 25–14:1, 26-29, 34-35; Psalm 106:6-7, 13-14, 21-23
Daily Marriage Tip for August 7, 2013:
Couples who have a television in their bedroom have sex half as often as those who don’t. (2006 Ladies Home Journal study). TV’s are not bad; neither is sex. Just don’t let the TV substitute for cuddling and intimacy.