The Word for wisdom:
Proverbs 13:20 (MSG)
20 Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.
The Word for inspiration:
Psalm 91:9-10 (HCSB)
9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place,
10 no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent.
The Word for encouragement:
Matthew 15:21-28 (HCSB)
21 When Jesus left there, He withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon.
22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon."
23 Yet He did not say a word to her. So His disciples approached Him and urged Him, "Send her away because she cries out after us."
24 He replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
25 But she came, knelt before Him, and said, "Lord, help me!"
26 He answered, "It isn't right to take the children's bread and throw it to their dogs."
27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table!"
28 Then Jesus replied to her, "Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want." And from that moment her daughter was cured.
My observation:
The God you believe in matters. This truth is on display in our focal passage from the gospel of Matthew. In this passage we see the Canaanite woman, a Gentile, coming to the Son of David for help. She knew more about the Gentile gods then she knew about the God of the Jews, but she came to Jesus.
Jesus at first appeared to deny her request for help. However, this passage is instructive because it shows us that God's delay is not an indication of his denial. God's uses delay in this case to grow the faith of the seeker.
This passage causes me to do an inspection of my life. What does Jesus see when he looks at me? Does he see a person whose faith will grow when tested? Does he see a person who is persistent in their prayers to him? Would Jesus say about me what he said about this woman?
Matthew 15:28 (HCSB)
28 Then Jesus replied to her, "Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want." And from that moment her daughter was cured.
My prayer:
Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that you are a God who cares about people without distinction. Father, I am so grateful that you recognize and are pleased with faith in whoever you find it, and that faith can grow in the most unlikely people. Lord, help us!
--
http://www.herbcotton.org
To receive via email: Send request to me at: herb@herbcotton.org
Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.
No comments:
Post a Comment