Taking Us to a Deeper Place

Matthew 15:22-28 (NLT)

    A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter has a demon in her, and it is severely tormenting her."

    [23] But Jesus gave her no reply—not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to leave," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging."

    [24] Then he said to the woman, "I was sent only to help the people of Israel—God's lost sheep—not the Gentiles."

    [25] But she came and worshiped him and pleaded again, "Lord, help me!"

    [26] "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs," he said.

    [27] "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even dogs are permitted to eat crumbs that fall beneath their master's table."

    [28] "Woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.

1.  Check the posture of our heart    

James 4:6, 10 (NIV) 

    …"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

2.  Continue to faithfully live out our God-given responsibilities

Matthew 26:42-44 (NASB) 

    He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Thy will be done." [43] And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. [44] And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.

Keep talking to God

Luke 18:5-8 (NIV) 

    yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "  [6] And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. [7] And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? [8] I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT) 

    "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. [8] For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.

“More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones”

- Mother Teresa

3.  Wait and trust in Jesus

Matthew 15:28 (NLT) 

    "Woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.

Faith is trusting God in advance what will make sense only in reverse

We don’t realize that waiting time is not wasted time. 

1 Kings 17:20 (NLT) 

    Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy on this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?"

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) 

    "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. [9] For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.