Matthew, Matthew, Oh how I love the book of Matthew.
What a sweet surprise it is when it blesses my reading plan with its presence.
Lately, the Lord has been speaking so clearly to me through the chapters of this book. It seems like everyday something new ministers to me, something sparks, and I am overwhelmed with a list of things I eventually want to blog about.
What is great faith?
Is there such thing as faith that’s great?
Is there good faith?
What’s the difference between good and great faith?
Confused, yet?
Hope not, but going on I hope as I portray what’s beckoning in my spirit that something would come alive in you to resonate challenge, restoration, patience and the hard word, trust.
Desperate for answers.
Crying for direction, for help that’s only granted from Him alone.
Wondering if His ears are picking up the countless requests that you are sending.
Hello, brick wall.
It’s me again. I feel we’re too familiar with each other.
We’ve met one too many times.
You have no words for me.
Your promises are silent.
Your advice isn’t given, much less heard.
You have nothing to offer, but how come I feel we meet time and time again?
Ever felt this way?
I’m sure you’d be lying if you said you haven’t.
Sometimes I feel like my lips are moving far faster than my ears
Are gathering answers.
And my desperation doesn’t appear to rush His timing.
In Matthew 15:21-28,
We are told a story. A story of the great faith of a woman.
Within these 7 verses,
A loud message screams and exemplifies so much.
It started with a plea,
A woman crying out to God from her helpless state.
Her daughter is tormented.
Tormented severely.
In her distress.
Jesus gave her no reply.
It confirms, “Not even a word.”
The woman was hurt at the condition of her daughter.
She was seeking what she knew to seek.
Admitting to weakness.
Humbly asking and begging for freedom she couldn’t grant.
And Jesus.
Has no words.
Hello, brick wall.
Here you offer me a choice
A choice In the midst of silence.
Anger or joy.
Giving up or continually seeking.
Hatred or worship.
Held captive or breaking down walls.
Take control or trust.
Disciples are annoyed with her begging.
Jesus gives an answer,
“I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep –
The people of Israel.”
An answer, indeed.
Hello, brick wall.
Brick by brick you’re starting to fall.
My ear barely perceives a little whisper.
A Glimpse of hope of answers desired.
Can you repeat that?
i hear you're response, but
That’s not the response I was looking for.
Brick wall, here you are again.
presenting me with a choice.
Anger or joy.
Giving up or continually seeking.
Hatred or worship.
Held captive or breaking down walls.
Take control or trust.
The woman,
Greater than most,
Chose worship.
Pleading again,
To the one who initially had no words.
To the one who then gave her an unwanted answer.
Jesus' voice again is to be heard,
“It isn’t right to take food from the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
Hello, Brick wall.
Again your whispers aren’t satisfying to my ears.
But I’m choosing to seek freedom, no matter the cost.
I’m choosing to speak my heart, my desires
And may they be known,
“That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps
that fall beneath their maters’ tables.”
And Jesus replied,
“Dear woman,…”
in His timing came to pass.
Woman that chose to fill the gap with trust,
instead of taking matters into her own hands.
Woman that chose to break down the brick wall, brick by brick,
rather than it holding her captive.
Woman that chose to be persistent,
rather than giving up on the goodness of God that was to come.
Woman that chose to worship,
even when it meant hearing things you didn’t want to hear at the time.
Woman that chose to be patient and faithful to pursue God,
instead of wallowing in the agony and self-pity of her own desperate needs.
Woman who chose to find peace in the power of God,
rather than pick up offense and bitterness.
Woman of great faith.
“…Your faith is great. Your request is granted.”
And her daughter was instantly healed.
I am so inspired by this woman.
A simple passage that speaks volumes.
I want to choose such things,
Live this honorable life,
And have integrity such as this.
How easy would it have been to give up?
Not even once, but several times.
Faithful are those who continually seek the presence
and promises of God, despite the temptations to choose otherwise.
Good faith may tremble
At the response of silence
And the receiving of unwanted answers.
But Great faith understands that
Seeking until you find means not giving up until your reality lines up with the word of God.
It may not be your desired answer.
It may not be everything you thought it would be.
But I will tell you this,
It will be so much better in the context of
His answer.
If you feel like your hitting brick walls. Be enlightened that it’s just a feeling.
Every feeling you have that wants to arise, presents to you a choice.
Accept or Decline.
Choose today to continually seek God despite any feeling or cost.
Build a legacy of…
Faith that is GREAT.
