3/22- Declaring God’s Glory with SCOTA Schools- Matthew
15:21-28
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:21-28)
Thoughts: The disciples (and Jesus echoing them) seems a little harsh here to the woman in need.
It is a harshness that echoes our own- "my people first" attitude. But Jesus did not keep that attitude, but opened his heart and his help to the woman. In the end, Jesus was the one that opened up faith in Yahweh for all people. He told his disciples to go into the world. But in his ministry he opened their minds by telling the parable of the Good Samarita; by living that parable with the Samaritan woman at the well; by healing the demoniac of Geresene (a gentile region); by even going to the region of Tyre and Sidon (a gentile region).
The woman had a disabled child who was suffering spiritually and physically. Jesus cared for her- leaving us an example. He commended this faith of the Gentile mother- pointing out that Gentiles can have faith.
The woman had a disabled child who was suffering spiritually and physically. Jesus cared for her- leaving us an example. He commended this faith of the Gentile mother- pointing out that Gentiles can have faith.
So our church joins others in supporting children in need. SCOTA (Special Children of the Amazon) is a program we support and take part in Peru through Medical Missions and Amazon Missions Fellowship. So we also hope that our new Children's Ministry Building will eventually be a place for help for disabled children as well as the healthy- providing respite care. Christians go beyond themselves by helping others nearby as well as far away.
Prayer: So help me to have a heart for children in need, Lord. Bless the parents of disabled children, especially those I know this day.
Men of Lake Murray Presbyterian working on a SCOTA playground in Iquitos Peru
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