TRUE FAITH by Gary Wilkerson
In the Old Testament, David was never supposed to enter the holy of holies in the temple. But he did, and his experience resulted in a powerful psalm that God’s people recite to this day: “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1, NLT).
Although David went where he was not supposed to go, it caused him to reflect on the amazing revelation of God’s presence on the earth. My point is this: Many saints in the Bible and throughout history have circumvented their bad situations through sheer faith, advancing God’s calendar by their passionate cries to Him.
One of those people was a non-Israelite who sought out Jesus to heal her afflicted daughter. “A Gentile woman . . . came to him, pleading, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely’” (Matthew 15:22, NLT). This woman had approached Jesus with a big need—her daughter was tormented by a demonic spirit. Yet Christ wasn’t stirred to act: “Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away . . . ‘She is bothering us with all her begging’” (15:23).
But the woman stayed and kept bothering them, pressing in with her request, refusing to go away. If you are familiar with Scripture, you know that Jesus told several parables applauding that kind of persistence: “Keep knocking. Keep seeking. Keep asking. God will reward your faith.”
It would have been easy for this woman to give up. But she kept persisting, and finally Jesus told her, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs” (15:26), referring to Israel’s priority over Gentiles. I find her response amazing: “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table” (15:27). She was saying, “Jesus, if we’re talking about the power of heaven, then even a scrap is sufficient.”
She was right: The scraps that fall from God’s table are sufficient to meet any need on this earth. And she had faith that even the smallest measure would deliver her daughter completely. Friend, that is true faith! This woman didn’t ask timidly. She asked believing in God’s goodness, knowing that even the smallest scrap of His glory was enough to perform a miraculous deliverance.
Although David went where he was not supposed to go, it caused him to reflect on the amazing revelation of God’s presence on the earth. My point is this: Many saints in the Bible and throughout history have circumvented their bad situations through sheer faith, advancing God’s calendar by their passionate cries to Him.
One of those people was a non-Israelite who sought out Jesus to heal her afflicted daughter. “A Gentile woman . . . came to him, pleading, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely’” (Matthew 15:22, NLT). This woman had approached Jesus with a big need—her daughter was tormented by a demonic spirit. Yet Christ wasn’t stirred to act: “Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away . . . ‘She is bothering us with all her begging’” (15:23).
But the woman stayed and kept bothering them, pressing in with her request, refusing to go away. If you are familiar with Scripture, you know that Jesus told several parables applauding that kind of persistence: “Keep knocking. Keep seeking. Keep asking. God will reward your faith.”
It would have been easy for this woman to give up. But she kept persisting, and finally Jesus told her, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs” (15:26), referring to Israel’s priority over Gentiles. I find her response amazing: “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table” (15:27). She was saying, “Jesus, if we’re talking about the power of heaven, then even a scrap is sufficient.”
She was right: The scraps that fall from God’s table are sufficient to meet any need on this earth. And she had faith that even the smallest measure would deliver her daughter completely. Friend, that is true faith! This woman didn’t ask timidly. She asked believing in God’s goodness, knowing that even the smallest scrap of His glory was enough to perform a miraculous deliverance.