Today's Scripture
The Power of Prayer – Mark 7:24-30
24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30 So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
RJ's Devotion
What the passage says
V. 24 Jesus sets out to a quiet place. He does not want to get noticed.
V. 25-26 However, a desperate mother, a Gentile, approaches Jesus, asking him to heal her daughter.
V. 27 -29 Jesus initially says that he is on a mission to restore the Israelites first, but the women insist. She replies to his words with great wisdom and sincere heart.
What does the passage say to me/us?
‘Can we change God’s will?’
Whenever I am asked this questions, my initial response is ‘no.’ I have witnessed so many occasions where people ‘prayed to God,’ with consistency to make their will done. Most of the times it is okay, but we also see that sometimes it can be using God’s name for our own benefit.
That is the reason, why I have commented about the old saying, “Good Lord willing….” I still believe that us being sensitive to God’s will is better than insisting our own will onto God. I still believe that coming to God through prayer and using prayer, as a way to learn what God’s will, is better than insisting our own will.
However, God is way bigger than my thoughts and understanding. When we come to God, with a sincere and earnest heart, our Lord is full of grace and love.
After all, the good old saying might be right.
Am I approaching God with the sincere heart?
Prayer
Lord, as we prepare for an encounter, during this time of Lent, help us to come to you with a sincere heart. Help us to seek your will earnestly. Help us to receive your grace and share it with others.
In your name, we pray. AMEN
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