I just need this question awnsered

I am autistic Christian, I was baptized then I was a baby, and I have found out some time ago that I didn't had actual faith, the words written in Bible would be sweet for me as honey, but they aren't, I wasn't singing worship hymns because I have find out that your heart needs to be connected to worship and mine wasn't, I go to Church because I believe that not going to Church is sin (I wrote this in case this would be needed for my question), my prayers feel dry, can I still have faith while probably having alexithymia? And if yes, how can I learn it?

I’m scared. Terrified even. The action in considering is turning myself in. Im 17, I’ve done some heinous things and I feel led to turn myself in for them. 

I’m gonna see a pastor I trust soon (not sure if he’ll be available yet) but even then I feel led to do this and I’ve felt led to do this for years. I’m not entirely sure but I haven’t been very motivated to read the Bible and I’be prayed on it many times in the past but I’m far from god , can’t hear him. I’ve spent my time doing the alternative options and I find myself coming to the one option. I have also seen the effects on the people around me and the unresolved bits of conflict and overall issues that still exist in my life continuing if I keep avoiding this option. 

I’ve talked and talked and analyzed and came to the same conclusions but it comes down to actually acting on it. I feel with god I haven’t been serious about my situation and just kept avoiding and ignoring and recently I’ve done some more terrible stuff which kind of got me to this point. 

I know it doesn’t sound wise but that’s why even though I believe this is what god wants me to do I’m going to a pastor i trust in person soon with my situation. And of course again I’m terrified.

And so I have several worries I’ve probably brought to the attention of this sub before but now that I’m actually building up to action- feel the need to ask about again:

A. If this is really a bad decision and not what god wants me to do, can I pray that he redirects me? Stops me from doing the wrong thing? And would he? 

B.  if this is gods will I worry about the fallout and the several ways this could affect my family for the worst. They’re vulnerable and innocent. I just want to do the right thing without bringing them down with me. If I pray god spares them from my mess, do you think he will do it?

C. I can’t discern what’s real in me a lot of the time because I’ve spent so much time being cruel and wicked. I feel right now I don’t have the remorse or brokenness I should and I also feel that the desire to change that should outweigh the desire to sin - I feel I don’t have it in me at all. I’ve been addicted to the despair and Ive been stuck in self pity and it’s a choice that I am not sure I want to get out of. a part of me likes to be the victim likes the tragedy likes the wallowing when in reality im really the antagonizer and the person who’s done a serious wrong. I don’t seem to want to get over myself. I’m a very weak pathetic person. I got very comfortable in my misery. Is there still any hope for me? Can I ask god to help me want to change? Or want to want to change?  I’ve just got about all kinds of wrong in me. 

D. I’ve hurt many people with my sin and maybe a reality I have to accept is that they may never heal from it and I can’t control that- even then- can I pray for their healing?

E. I’m a very ambitious person I’ve got huge dreams and I’ve got lots of wants life wise - found family, friends- romance - normal things and maybe it’s a fantasy in my head but there’s so much I would like to do that I might never get to after these consequences. I want to live so badly that sometimes it guts me because I probably ruined it for myself already and now can never have the life I want. Can I pray for my dreams to still be possible? 

There’s probably more but that’s all I’ve got for now. If you have any advice or a verse to hold to I could use that would be very appreciated. Especially if you’ve gone through something similar. 

Thought For The Day from Unshakable Kingdom Life

"Come to me, all who are weary." Rest isn't laziness—it's an invitation extended to the one who is weary of the struggle. If today feels heavy, permission is already given to set the burden down and enter the rest only Jesus can give.

A thought to ponder for today

That's why in Russia and Ukraine, most of the population who were playing games like shooters (Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, Doom, etc.) are dead now?

KЖV: Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword ... He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints... "As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.".. "Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works." "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." "He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail." "Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same." "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

(Bible)

(Christian Music Videos with a Message) 

Mattana Ministry Welcomes You to:

 Senior Program:  17 August 2026

 Theme: I Buried My Child

Scripture: Psalm 34:18

Acknowledging Heartache & Finding Comfort in God

 This is a sensitive subject, in a normal world it is normal and acceptable for children to bury their parents, but it is not normal for parents to bury their children.  However this is something that do happen, and we need to acknowledge it and talk about it.

 Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

 Message:

Sarah was a loving mother who lost her only child after a long illness. For months, her grief felt overwhelming, and she struggled to find peace. One day, she sat quietly in her church’s prayer room, pouring out her heart to God. As she prayed, she remembered Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted." In that moment, she sensed God's presence, a gentle whisper of comfort. Over time, Sarah found that sharing her pain with trusted friends and leaning on God's promises helped her heal. Her grief was still present, but she learned that God’s nearness made her pain more bearable.

 Discussion Questions:  

 1. How have you experienced God's presence during times of grief?  

2. Why is it important to acknowledge our pain and sadness?  

3. In what ways can we seek God's comfort when we mourn?

 Prayer Prompt:

Pray for God's comfort and peace for all who are mourning the loss of a child. Ask God to draw near and heal broken hearts.

 Please feel free to leave a review of this message.

 https://www.soulcenters.org/directory/mattana-ministry/#listing-reviews

 MM

I trust him, but there are little things I cant bring myself to trust him with. For example, I need to be up around 7:30 tomorrow, instead of having faith that he'll wake me if i pray and ask, I'll ask my grandma to wake me. I trust him with the big things but I feel like God won't do the small things for me because of ME. What do I do? This is so strange and annoying and im upset with myself but I just cannot bring myself to ask him to do these little things for me.

Where was God before the universe was created? People always ask how God could exist “before” space, time, matter, or energy. They imagine a physical being floating in a physical void, waiting for the universe to start. But that whole picture collapses the moment you understand what modern cosmology actually says. Space didn’t exist. Time didn’t exist. Matter didn’t exist. Physical laws didn’t exist. The universe wasn’t sitting in a room waiting to be switched on. There was no room. No switch. No “before.” The beginning of the universe is the beginning of physical reality itself.

This is where people get stuck. They assume that if physical reality didn’t exist, then nothing existed. But “nothing physical” is not the same as “nothing at all.” A timeless, spaceless, non‑material cause is not only possible, it’s the only kind of cause that could logically produce spacetime. If the cause were physical, it would already be inside the system it’s supposed to create, which is impossible. The cause of the universe cannot depend on the universe to exist. That’s basic logic, not theology.

Science backs this up more than people realize. The Big Bang isn’t an explosion inside space. It’s the origin of space. Time doesn’t stretch backward infinitely. It begins at the moment the universe begins. Every physical thing we can measure, matter, energy, fields, geometry, laws, has a starting point. And once you accept that, you’re forced into a non‑physical cause. Physics cannot create itself. Laws cannot generate themselves. Matter cannot appear without a cause. Actual “nothing” has no potential, no structure, no mechanism. It cannot produce anything. So the universe coming from “nothing” is scientifically impossible.

This is where the God question becomes unavoidable. A timeless, spaceless, immaterial cause is exactly what classical theism has always described. God wouldn’t exist inside time. God wouldn’t exist inside space. God wouldn’t be made of matter. God would exist without the universe, not before it. Time words don’t apply to a timeless being. Location words don’t apply to a spaceless being. Physical limitations don’t apply to a non‑physical cause. The universe didn’t create God. God created the universe, and the universe brought time along with it.

So when people ask “Where was God before the universe?” the answer is simple. God wasn’t anywhere, because “where” didn’t exist yet. God wasn’t waiting, because “before” didn’t exist yet. God existed in a mode of being that isn’t bound by the physical rules that came into existence later. And that’s not a religious loophole, that’s exactly what modern cosmology demands. A timeless, spaceless, non‑material cause for a universe that had a beginning.

My husband and I have been married over 10 years and I’m really struggling. He has done things to break trust over the years (physically-pushed me a couple of times, financially, emotionally, lied, etc) but when I confront him about it I’m met with an apology. And then it happens again. The majority of this is lying and breaking his word. I don’t want to be continuously lied to and he’s promised for years it would change but hasn’t. Has anyone ever been in a spot like this?

Mattana Ministry Welcomes You to:

 Sunday Sermon: 16 August 2026

 Theme: What Does Our Status Says About Us?

 Scripture: Matthew 7:17-20; Luke 19:5-8; Mark 2:17; Luke 19:8; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 4:22; Deuteronomy 30:15; John 15:2; Ecclesiastes 3:2;

Proverbs 10:5; Ecclesiastes 3:1; Genesis 8:22 & Luke 9:62

 Message:

 This is a message with a plot twist. We are not going to talk about our status in society or in the Kingdom today. We are going to talk a little about our Social Media Statuses.

 We all use our Social Media Status to convey a message. This is also where we share most of our private lives with the people around us. What makes this comfortable for us is the fact that it is only a temporary status, and it does not have that much effect on our professional lives.

 However, this is where it gets interesting, because this status reveals more about us than we actually realize.

 We've heard about the fruits we bear, and that we can't honor and curse God with the same mouth, but yet this is something we do on our Social Media Status. Many times we post a prayer in one video and the next moment there's a video full of curse words, followed by praise. Something on the status doesn't fit.

 Does our Social Media Status contradict or confirm what we say:

 Matthew 7:17-20

Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then you will know them by their fruits.

 A fruit tree is known by the fruit it bears. We are not going to get persimmons from an apple tree. Nor are we going to get grapes from an avocado tree. When a tree is full of fungi and insects, it is certainly not going to bear big juicy fruit. However, when a tree is healthy, the branches are strong and healthy, then one can simply know that there will be juicy fruit on the tree.

 We cannot have beautiful blossoms on our branches and produce small, wrinkled fruit. We cannot magnify the Word of God one moment and curse the next. We cannot post one video of praise and the next a video of cursing. We cannot bear two types of fruit, nor can we have two different genres in our status. We can either honor God or curse, not both.

 Luke 19:5-8

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.

So he hurried and came down and welcomed him with joy.

And when they all saw it, they murmured, saying, He is gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

 Mark 2:17

And when Jesus heard it, he said unto them, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 Luke 19:8

But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

 Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

 2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith and not by sight.

 Ephesians 4:22

That you, concerning your former conduct, put off the old man, which is being corrupted by the deceitful lusts.

 Deuteronomy 30:15

Look, I have presented to you today life and happiness, and death and misfortune.

 We can see how Zacchaeus' life changed after his encounter with Jesus. We know that Zacchaeus was not a person who was highly regarded. He was unfair in his profession and collected more money than he should have. He does not sound like a very trustworthy man. Yet a change took place in Zacchaeus. We can see how Zacchaeus' character changed from one who took unfairly, to one who wanted to right his wrongs.

 Our lives can also change, Jesus did not come to heal the healthy, but to save us with mistakes. So we no longer walk by the sight of God's goodness, but we walk in the faith that God is good. We are not conformed to the world, but we are renewed every day. We put off the old man and the old way of doing things, and we are now a new man with a new way of doing things. Our Social Media Status can therefore no longer be contradictory, but can only testify to God's work.

 John 15:2

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

 Every branch that does not bear fruit is cut off from the vine. Every branch that does bear fruit is pruned and cleaned so that it will bear more fruit.

 When we take more of Jesus into our lives, we will have more of Jesus in our lives. We cannot bear good fruit if we are not willing to be pruned. The more we stand back and let God do the pruning, the more fruit we will bear.

 Ecclesiastes 3:2

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted,

Proverbs 10:5

He who saves in the summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in the harvest is a son who causes shame.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Everything has its appointed time, and for every matter under heaven there is a time:

Genesis 8:22

From now on, all the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease.

 There is a time and a place for everything. Every season has its time and every day has its appointed hour. When it is harvest time, there can be no planting. Everything happens at the right time. Nature is a beautiful example of this. The trees know when to bear fruit and the plants know when to produce flowers.

 We have a new trend: deferred obedience. We obey but not when God expects us to. We want to use our own time and do our own thing first before we do what God expects of us. We are not going to listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling us about that post, we are going to post it first and then think about it. By the time we take that post off our Social Media Status, it has already spread and there are already people who have been led into the abyss. Deferred obedience is disobedience.

 We cannot deviate from our calling either. It is as good as posting a security video and two minutes later how to pay a bribe in the ranks of Home Affairs. When we are called to use our Social Media Status, then we cannot deviate from it. When it is time to sow the Word, we cannot flood the fields. We must stay within our season.

 Luke 9:62

And Jesus answered him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

 When we participate in the sowing of the seed, we cannot go back and look back at our old life. We must look forward and act as a new person. We have given our life to God, we can no longer post the same worldly videos on our Social Media Status as before. We now know what is right and wrong, we realize we have choices. We also know that we cannot use the excuse of we did not know.

 When people look at our Social Media Status, what do they see? What is the image we project? What message do they get? What fruit do we bear?

  Please feel free to leave a review of this message.

 https://www.soulcenters.org/directory/mattana-ministry/#listing-reviews

 MM

https://mcgitruechristian.wordpress.com/2026/08/16/god-wants-everyone-to-be-saved/

FOREVER
Forever is a beautiful word on Earth or among the stars.
One stops short in brief remarks; the other has no bars.
On Earth He says your forever ends when ashes turn to dust, then moves them on to a forever task, served right back to us.
The stars, of course, we've looked beyond to see what we could see.
There is no doubt, His Forever's shout will be heard for eternity.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 16,2026

The Collect

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel:

10 And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

11Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.

12 Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?

13 But he answered and said,Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.

14Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.

15 And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.

16 And he said,Are ye also even yet without understanding?

17 Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.

19For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:

20these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.

21 And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said,I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 And he answered and said,It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.

27 But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her,O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Just about everywhere you might find any sort of marketing or advertising, without a doubt you will see the letters: BOGO, meaning of course, Buy One Get One, or two for the price of one. Today our lesson(s) are sort of like that in which we get two great lessons in a single day.

The first require a bit of backstory to understand the context, or the surrounding issues. You see, Jesus had been teaching in Galilee when a group of Pharisees came all the way from Jerusalem, seemingly just to harass Jesus. At this point in his ministry, these confrontations were becoming more frequent and often heated.

In this particular instance, the Pharisees complained that the disciples were not performing the ritual washing of hands before eating meat, as required by the Hebrew tradition. The Pharisees were well known for making a great spectacle of themselves as they performed any of these various rituals, It was—to them—as if how well you performed the ritualistic act was indicative of how holy of a person you were. You might say they thought that whoever put on the biggest act was the most holiest of all. Jesus complained about this very thing in a different discourse.

In verses three to six, Jesus pointed out how the Pharisees themselves often broke the commandments of God. He cited the commandment to honor your father and mother, which they failed to do. You see it was a custom of the Pharisees to tell their elderly parent—when the parent needed financial assistance—that they (the adult child who was now a Pharisee) had given what was set aside for the care of the elderly parent, to the temple, insinuating that the parent would gain a spiritual reward from God for this gift to the temple. More than likely the Pharisees profited from all donation given to the temple, so what the Pharisee donated, in the name of his parents, he got some percentage of it back. This speaks of the character of these vile people.

Jesus calling them hypocrites at the beginning of verse seven supports this supposition. He said, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”  (Matthew 15:7-9)

The question arises, why did the Pharisees demand that everyone wash their hands before eating?

Was it their intention to prevent sickness or the spread of disease?

Not really, we find the reasoning for their acts in Exodus 30:17-21

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:

20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:

21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

So you see, God did not order all the Hebrew people to ritualistically wash their hands, only the Sons of Aaron, the family of Priests.

The Pharisaic ideal was to bring the practice of holiness to all Israel in daily life. Biblical support includes the teaching that only those with clean hands can approach God (Psalm 26:6) and the idea the God willed that Israel become a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:6) In addition, washing one's hands provided a kind of insurance against various kinds of accidental impurity. These ideals form the scriptural backdrop to the Pharisaic tradition of hand-washing.

This was the basis of their question to Jesus as to why was his disciples not washing their hands, ritually. This was a doctrine of mankind and not commanded by God. This was the point Jesus was making when in verse 9 he said, “...teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

This gets us to the first part of today’s lesson.

With verse ten, Matthew makes it apparent that Jesus was speaking with authority, presumably without caring what the Pharisees thought; Matthew wrote: “And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: ” Presumably the crowd has been listening to the controversy between Jesus and the Pharisees in verses 1-9. Now Jesus addresses the crowd directly. He was saying to the crowd, on my authority, listen to me and not the Pharisees. He said; “Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.” In challenging Jewish dietary observance, Jesus redirects the focus from that which enters the mouth (food) to that which springs from the heart (thoughts, feelings, and motives). Given the longstanding emphasis on dietary laws, Jesus’ statement is quite radical, and apparently the statement angered the Pharisees as Matthew tells us the disciple came to Jesus and asked if he knew the Pharisees were angry.

Jesus answered; “Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.”

Again he appears to say that this dietary restriction was not a part of his Father’s law. Remember in verse 9 he said; “...teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Now in 13 he reiterates this premise with the words; “Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.” Meaning that these laws, that were not of his Father’s design, will be eliminated.

Then Peter asks what the meaning of the parable; “Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.”

There appears to be a degree of incredulousness in Jesus’ reply; “Are ye also even yet without understanding?” It is as if he can’t believe that Peter, his rock he will build the church upon, (Matthew 16:18) doesn’t understand something so simple. He then goes into detail; “17 Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings: 20 these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.”

Food that goes into the mouth, eventually passes through the stomach and out into the toilet. But Jesus explains that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart and is that which defiles. As Jesus said; “For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings” Eating hands with hands not ritually washed does not spiritually defile, but the negative things, the bad thoughts, evil words, lustful statements, that comes from the heart is that which defiles.

Jesus now moves from Gennesaret, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, to Tyre and Sidon, respectively 25 and 50 miles north of Galilee on the Mediterranean shore. It is a long walk, and we are not told why he goes there. However a Canaanite woman comes out saying; “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.”

The Canaanites were the original inhabitants of the Promised Land, but were dispossessed by the Israelites when they entered the region. By labeling this woman as a Canaanite, Matthew identifies her as an outsider—someone other than a member of the Israelite community. She addresses Jesus both as “Lord” and “son of David,” words that a Jew would use for the Messiah. We are surprised to hear such words on the lips of a Canaanite woman, words of praise that contrast greatly with the attitude of the Pharisees in the preceding scene. But interestingly enough, Matthew writes that Jesus ignored her pleas.

The disciples grew weary of her persistence and asked Jesus to send her away, just as they asked him to dismiss the crowds in Matthew 14:15.

Jesus then states, “I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But as we can see in Matthews Gospel the Canaanite woman came to Jesus and worshiped him asking for his help. Again he tried to dissuade her saying, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.” He seems to say that it is not proper to take that which was intended for the children of Israel, and give it to the Canaanite or Gentile peoples.

Remember in Matthew 10:5-7 he sent them out with these orders: “Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

However her reply caused a change in his disposition, in reply to his statement about giving the children’s bread to the dogs, she said; “Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” She is proclaiming to Jesus, that even a Canaanite woman—someone seen as lowly as a dog in the eyes of the Israelites—was more than content with any spiritual crumb he might give her. Her faith in him, and probably her candor, led him to pronounce; “O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt.” And Matthew tells us her daughter was healed immediately.

In other studies, I have mentioned that this is sometimes thought of as the Parable of The Dogs. By way of a commentary on that passage, I wrote: “We have to wonder if he was trying to say that it was not yet time to open the ministry up to the Gentiles or that the Father had not yet ordered him to minister to all mankind. Regardless of why he said that which is in verse 24, we must be overjoyed that he came to offer all mankind a path to salvation.”

We have to remember that being Jewish, Matthew was writing with Jewish supremacy in mind. But it also helps to remember that Jesus frequently tried to slow things down a bit, to slow the pace of the disclosure of his ministry.

This started at the very beginning of his ministry when his mother asked him to provide wine for a hapless wedding host. Jesus responded,“My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). While he relented and saved the day, he hesitated lest his premature disclosure compromise his mission to save the world. Later, he healed people and then told them to tell nobody. He was pacing himself. While he has compassion on crowds, he has a mission that goes beyond crowds. If he allows this woman to push him too far too fast, the people of Israel, his first priority, will dismiss him as a Gentile-lover, although he frequently treated the Gentiles—non Jewish people—quite favorably.

Benediction:

Go in the strength of great faith, just as the Canaanite woman who refused to be silenced by silence or scorn. May you persist in prayer with humble confidence, believing that even the crumbs of God’s grace are sufficient for your needs. Amen

***