Victory of faith

Monday July 19, 2021

Victory of faith

He (Jacob) wrestled with God. He wrestled with the angel and he was victorious. Hosea 12:5

Much like Jacob's struggle with the angel (Genesis 32: 24-32), the story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15: 21-28) shows us another terrible struggle that strikes us as somewhat cruel. The request is overwhelming :

Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David ! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon.

I was only sent to the lost sheep of the community of Israel, answers Jesus.

It was confidence in the power and goodness of the Son of David that had motivated this woman to come to him ; it was in the heart of Jesus that she sought shelter. But what will become of her if this very shelter, if this last refuge fails her and if she apparently finds in the heart of Jesus nothing but harshness and disdain ? But Jesus feels it because he loves him (Hebrews 12:6) and knows his heart. He is faithful and he will never test it beyond his strength, strength which he accurately measures and communicates to him (1 Corinthians 10:13).

But, as this faithful love of Jesus hides behind appearances of harshness and disdain, this woman's prayer becomes more ardent : “Lord, help me !”

It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs, Jesus answers. Here he is, adopting what is most contemptuous of the language of the day. A Canaanite woman's heart can be hurt, wrinkled, upset. One responds to his confidence with coldness, to his supplication with contempt. It's good now that she would have been defeated if she could have been. But she refuses this defeat because she refuses to doubt. She accepts the humiliating comparison, to make an argument capable of overcoming the resistance of the Lord.

Yes, Lord, she said, but the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.

Woman, your faith is great. Be treated according to your desire answers Jesus. As if to say : "It is done, the victory is yours, your daughter is healed, your faith has triumphed !"

Let us always fight in prayer, never doubting the goodness of the Lord (Ephesians 6:18) !

According to Adolphe Monod

Source (Pleasing the Lord)