Mark 7:24-30  – “Now Jesus got up and went from there to the region of Tyre.  And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know about it; and yet He could not escape notice.  ²⁵ But after hearing about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet.  ²⁶ Now the woman was a gentile, of Syrophoenician descent.  And she repeatedly asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  ²⁷ And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ And He said to her, “Because of this answer, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰ And after going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.”

As I prayed, read, and mused on the Word of God today, several things challenged me.  Can you imagine having a child being destroyed by the demonic and going to your only possible source of help and being insulted and rejected?  In Mark 7, the Syrophoenician woman had a demonized daughter and came to Jesus only to have Him call her a dog.  Nothing deterred her, and because she refused to be insulted and offended, He said, “It’s done!”

Imagine coming to Jesus, hoping to discover what act you can do.  You earn your way into heaven to be told that all you’ve done is insufficient.  One thing you lack.  What?  Everything!   Give Me your whole self.   Give Me your heart, your dreams, your possessions, and your position.  Imagine the disappointment the man had.  He had done so much, but it was not enough.

In Mark 11, Jesus came to the fig tree that had form but no fruit and cursed it.  The disciples were amazed but completely missed the messages hidden therein.  The connected revelation began with a warning about appearance vs. fruit.  He connected being wholly surrendered to functional miracle-working faith.

Speak from faith, not speak to create faith.  (Faith comes by hearing God speaking – connection and abiding in Him.)  Speak from expectation.  Believe in your heart that it is going to happen, not just hope it might happen.  (Expectation).  Believe that you have received it.  That is looking beyond self and circumstances to the Cross!   It is Finished!

Then, the overlooked Key – Forgiveness!   Forgiveness from us and to us links us to God.  In that union, faith lives and possesses the promises!  If there is an absence in reception, it would behoove us to look carefully to see if there is a speck or hint of unforgiveness.   Remember v. 26, “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Heavenly Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” God Misses Nothing! 

If we give God everything, we receive everything in return.  God sees what is left rather than what has gone from our stash.  If God has us, we have everything, and faith is the natural fruit of our lives!

LORD, help us to trust in the Finished Work of Jesus in All Things!