Good Friday Morning.  Here’s Today’s Nugget to chew on:

“Let’s Not Complicate It”

Mark 7:24-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

24 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. 25 Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet [remember faith comes by hearing, Romans 10:17]. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, 26 and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.  Since she was a Gentile (non-Jew), born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27 Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs (non-Jews).” 28 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.” 29 “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.”

Cross reference:  Matthew 15:21-28

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Further Thought:  Jesus wasn’t talking about feeding the Jewish people physical food.  He was telling this woman I’ve been sent first to tell the Jewish people all that “grace” has made available to them in the Kingdom of God, which includes healing.  This woman’s response was, I understand, but whatever they won’t take advantage of, I will (that’s the scraps).  Immediately, Jesus recognized her faith and said, your faith in my grace has made your daughter well.  And did you notice Jesus never prayed with the woman for the healing of her daughter?  Instead, Jesus said, now Go and See.  Here, we see this woman who didn’t have a relationship with God (Gentile, a Non-Jew) use her faith to receive her answer.  You see, faith appropriates (takes) what grace has provided. 

Think about it:  It shouldn’t be that someone who doesn’t know God comes into his presence and receives (takes) by faith, and we who say we have a relationship with God are still struggling to receive our answer.   Jesus, in today’s passage, is revealing to us how easy it should be for us to receive whatever we need from God.  The woman in today’s passage was fully persuaded Jesus had her answer.  She humbled herself and didn’t take offense; she believed in the power Jesus was making available and received it.  Yes, she took deliverance for her daughter.  

So, let’s not complicate receiving what God has already provided by grace.  Instead, find where God has provided the answer in his word; find where He did it for someone.  Let’s renew our minds with this truth until we are fully persuaded and receive (take) it.

Have a great day and keep chewing on God’s Word.

Additional references:  Matthew 7:11; Acts 10:34; Malachi 3:6; Mark 11:22, 24; Psalm 103:1-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:17 and Proverbs 4:20-22

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“2024 Seeking to Know, Understand and Experience the Kingdom of God”

Today’s Recommended Reading Colossians 3