Crumbs for the Dogs

Another Gentile who believed in Christ, Who was an Israelite, was a Syro-phoenician woman. To Jesus she came with an important request, namely, that He save her daughter from an evil spirit.

Jesus answered her not one word, and His disciples told Him to send her away. Jesus answered and said to the woman that He came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. She came closer and worshipped Him after those words; and Jesus told her that it was not proper to take children's bread and give it to dogs.

Then she, not in anger and wrath because he called her a dog, said, "Truth, Lord: yet dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table." And Jesus answered, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee as thou wilt" (  Matt. 15:28 ).

Did you get that truth? Did you note that Jesus called her answer to His words an activity of faith in Him as our Savior? Did you note also that she did not rebel at being called a dog? She had a sinful nature and knew it. She puts us to shame when we rebel against being called sinners. She manifested clearly that she knew and believed that we deserve nothing good. We too should be willing to admit and confess that in ourselves we deserve nothing good and are children of the devil, completely under his evil control.

But there are crumbs for dogs, and there is salvation - a richer salvation for man than a few crumbs of it - for every believing child of God. Notice that Jesus says to her, "O woman, great is thy faith." We must believe our own unworthiness, that apart from Christ we are dogs. Yea, that, worse than a dog's death, we deserve hell fire!

Do you want salvation for yourself and your children? Come daily then to Christ, and He will give it to you in God's sovereign grace.

Read: Matthew 15:21-28

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Isaiah 3 ; Isaiah 4 ; Isaiah 5:1-30 
2 Corinthians 11:1-15 
Psalm 53:1-6 
Proverbs 22:28-29 
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Quote for Reflection:
 

Discipleship: 

“Take my yoke upon you…” (Matt. 11:29a) For many of today’s supposed Christians—perhaps the majority — it is the case that while there is much talk about Christ and even much furious activity, there is actually very little following of Christ Himself. And that means in some circles there is very little genuine Christianity. Many who fervently call Him ‘Lord, Lord’ are not Christians (Matt. 7:21)...There are several reasons that the situation I have described is common in today’s church. The first is a defective theology that has crept over us like a deadening fog. This theology separates faith from discipleship and grace from obedience. It teaches that Jesus can be received as one’s Savior without being received as one’s Lord…  When Jesus used this image, he was saying that to follow Him was to submit to Him.  It was to receive Him as Lord of one‘s life.”  -James M. Boice