Desperation can lead to unusual actions. Many were the days that I locked myself in the bathroom or closet after a crazy day just to have a few much needed minutes of peace and quiet. Other times, I unashamedly made a special trip to our town’s grocery store to grab a bag of spicy gumdrops thinking they would relieve the mom-stress I was dealing with. (That doesn’t work, by the way!) But, nothing leads me to more frantic and determined action than seeing one of my children in deep trouble.
I’ve had my moments of sheer panic for my children. I think that is why I can identify with a frazzled Bible mom whose child had a very serious problem. We do not know much about the Syrophoenician woman from Matthew 15 and Mark 7 except that she was not of Jewish descent. She lived in a city on the Mediterranean coast about thirty to fifty miles from Galilee where most of the inhabitants were pagans. She was a descendant of the Canaanites, whom the children of Israel were supposed to have eliminated when they conquered the Promised Land.
Despite her seemingly godless heritage, this woman responded to heartbreak like any typical mom would. Her problem was huge. She had a little daughter who was suffering from demon possession, and she was desperate. I can only imagine that she had tried everything to free her daughter from this cruel bondage, but to no avail. She was left to helplessly watch her child suffer – until one day she heard about Jesus.
Jesus had been performing miracles in the area of Galilee, but had withdrawn to the region where this mom lived. Upon hearing of his proximity, she immediately came to him with her request. Who knows what mind reeling or stomach churning she experienced as she traveled the distance to find him. But when you are desperate, it often leads to actions you would have never attempted for any other reason. And though this woman would have to overcome some barriers in order to reach Jesus, she would not give up.
Taking on the responsibility of motherhood is no easy task. There are periods of time when things may flow easily. And there are other times when concerns for our precious ones overwhelm us. Some of our children have had to deal with serious health issues at a very young age. Others constantly need attitude adjustments. Still others may have learning disabilities or friend struggles. When a child reaches young adulthood, they may experience a time of rebellion or even turn away from the Christian faith to follow after the world’s system. Whatever it is these things can crush a mother’s heart. We’ve tried everything, and we are desperate!
The road of parenthood in a fallen world is not easy, but I am encouraged by this mother who brought her struggle to Jesus and, despite the numerous obstacles she eventually found the help she needed.
A Persistent Mom: Upon encountering Jesus this desperate mom cried out loud, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” It seems strange that though our God is a merciful God, Jesus did not answer her prayer right away. It almost seems as if he ignored her plea. Yet the woman was persistent. In the face of what seemed like rejection she continued calling out her request. Though the disciples asked Jesus to send her away, He did not comply. He allowed her to continue asking.
A Humble Mom: Finally Jesus responded to her cries. He answered her in a way she wasn’t expecting by saying, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” What a strange thing for Jesus to say, but he was not being cruel. He was just stating that His ministry on earth was to the Jewish people first and she was not a Jew. Without batting an eye or snapping back with an offended word of defense, this humble woman responded, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” She humbly accepted her place in God’s plan and decided that even crumbs from Jesus were better than what she had at the moment.
A Faith-Filled Mom: I can almost see the smile and hear the laughter as Jesus threw back his head and laughed in delight at this mom’s faith-filled response. He said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” The woman turned to go home and upon arrival was greeted by her daughter who was fully healed.
Fellow moms, are you experiencing a time of desperation over your children? Have you tried everything to correct the situation and come up empty? Take courage!
Come to Jesus with your requests and cry out to Him in your despair. Do not give up when it seems He is not answering right away or His answers are not what you expected. Humble yourself before Him and let Him do things His way and according to His plan. Lift up your eyes and heart in faith even if you have to wait years. The Lord does hear you, and He is delighted to answer the persistent, humble, faith-filled cries of a desperate mom.
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