PRAYER + PRAISE
For Mothers’ Love and Faith
- Adam R. Cole // May 10, 2009
22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” —Matthew 15:22
There are number of people that come to Jesus looking for help, seeking His divine hand to heal and drive out unclean spirits. In this particular instance, referred to in the passage above, the woman is coming to Jesus on behalf of her daughter, who is demon-possessed. She exclaims to Him, “Have mercy on me.”
Before going further, we already see an incredible moment, a motherly moment, one that displays a mother’s determination and humility, willing to go before a man, that she understands to have mighty characteristics of God, perhaps even God in the flesh, and ask Him for help, as if she is the one that is needing that help. Though His divine nature might not be apparent to this woman at this moment, she at least comes to him with very high regard, equating His stature with royalty by acknowledging Him to be the Son of David. And yet, being just a Gentile woman, from Canaan, a group of people the Israelites had conquered long ago, she had the courage and the faith in Him to ask for His mercy.
The story unfolds that Jesus at first denies her request, citing that His mission is first to the Israelites. But the woman is persistent, letting Jesus know that “even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” With that comment, bold and even ‘rude’ as it was, Jesus had compassion, as He so often did, and granted her request; the unclean spirit was then removed from her daughter.
We learn from this story about how we as mothers (and fathers) must respond to calamities (internal and external) that befall our children. We need to come before the sovereign Lord and for help, acknowledging that it is not us, nor a self-help program or miracle medicine, that will cure our children’s ills.
There are God-honoring parents that poured abundant love into their kids, that gave them godly principles to follow, and those kids still went astray, choosing to follow the ways of the world. But those parents didn’t simply give up their kid(s) but got down on their knees, continued to come to the Lord for answers, continued to pour love even to a hardened heart. And in His time, he/she came to the light, gave up things like alcohol/drugs, gave up a rebellious lifestyle and found Christ truly and honestly.
Faith. Love. Mother’s giving their all. God responding. Lives changing and transforming.
Praise: That mother’s, particularly, have a fire in their hearts to see their children attain a blessed life.
Prayer: That we exhibit a similar profound and persistent faith on behalf of our loved ones, no matter their struggles.
Prayer for Today: Lord, we thank You for this day, a mother’s day, a day for us to remember the deepness in unconditional love that mother’s have shown us, and that You through them, display to us just the same. We praise You that You have never given up on us, just like they have never given up on us. Uplift mother’s everywhere, Lord, that today they are filled with peace and blessing for a life of servanthood to their children. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.