“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.” - Matthew 15:25
The American holiday, Mother's Day, began here in my home state of West Virginia. In 1908, Grafton, WV native, Anna Jarvis organized the holiday in memory of her mother. Mother's Day has been a special day ever since.
Godly mothers are getting more scarce with each generation. It is sad to realize that many children are growing up without the influence of a loving, godly mother.
There is nothing like a mother's love. My mother is still with us. She is an old-fashioned mother. She loves Jesus. She loved my father and sacrificed much to help him. She still loves her children so much. I have been blessed with a special mother.
In Matthew 15, we learn about a mother who had a great concern for her child. According to the Gospel of Matthew, her daughter was “vexed with a devil.” The Gospel of Mark reveals that her daughter was possessed by a demon. This was a condition that the average doctor could not treat. Jesus was her only hope.
Demon possession is a terrifying thing to observe. A person acts erratic, including a change of voice and personality. Physical violence may also be a result of demon possession including self-inflicted harm. If your child was possessed with a demon, you'd be scared and desperate.
A good mother wants what is best for her child. That was certainly the case with this mother. In her desperation she came to Jesus. Isn't He the best person to go to with any problem?
When this desperate mother came begging for Jesus to help her daughter, she got the silent treatment instead. The Bible says that Jesus, “... answered her not a word.” It is painful when God is silent … especially when you need Him the most. In her desperation, she persisted. As only a mother can do, the Bible says, “Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.” Who could resist should a pitiful plea?
Our Lord's response is rather interesting. Jesus said it wasn't right to take the children's food and cast it to the dogs. The Jews considered Gentiles to be nothing but dogs. The Lord was testing her faith and resolve. Note the mother's response, “And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.”
Consider some things about her response. She admitted that she was unworthy to receive the Lord's help. Isn't that true of each of us? None of us are worthy of God's grace. Furthermore, she demonstrated her faith when she said, “... yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.” While recognizing Jesus as the Master, she also stated that just the crumbs would be sufficient. Crumbs don't sound very appealing to us, yet she knew that the miracle she needed was small compared to our Lord's power.
The Bible shares the end of this story: “Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” The mother received the answer she so desperately needed.
Where are the mothers today who will pray with desperation for their children? This generation of children is sadly lacking such a spiritual influence. Today, many parents are failing at the very basic level to raise their children properly. There is a dire need for parents to get right with God and raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
I am thankful to have a praying mother. She continues to pray for me. More than once, her prayers have helped me through problems.
If your mother is still living, let her know how much you love and appreciate her. If your mother is no longer living, thank the Lord for the influence her love and prayers have made in your life.
Thank God for desperate mothers who pray for their children!
No comments:
Post a Comment