THE ANSWER TO A MOTHER'S PRAYER
[Mark:7:24-37 [24] And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. [25] For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: [26] The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. [27] But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. [28] And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. [29] And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. [30] And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. [31] And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. [32] And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. [33] And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; [34] And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. [35] And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. [36] And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; [37] And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. ].
"The just shall live by faith" (Hebrews 10:38).
Jesus' Loving-Kindness
When He was on earth Jesus was always helping someone. He gave them good advice, healed their sicknesses, and even raised people from the dead. People heard about the wonderful things He was doing and they followed Him wherever he went. Sometimes He went to the mountains to be alone and pray to His Father in Heaven. Jesus spent much time talking to God. He has told everybody to do that.
Wherever Jesus went people seemed to find Him. He could not be hid. How thankful all people should be that Jesus can always be found today, and that He still is helping people who ask Him for help.
Help Needed
We read that there was a certain woman whose young daughter was sick. The mother had heard that Jesus would heal the sick and she came and fell at His feet. She begged Jesus to heal her daughter. Perhaps to see how much she really trusted Him, Jesus said that He must first take care of the Jewish people, not the people of her country. He said it was not right to give the children's food to dogs. But the woman did not feel hurt that Jesus seemed to call her people dogs, if that is what he meant by what He said. She said that the dogs ate the crumbs that fell from the children's table. Jesus was pleased with her faith in Him, and He told her that her daughter was healed.
The Thankful Mother
The mother must have gone away very happy and thankful. When she came home she found that Jesus had done just what He said He would do – had made the girl well.
Jesus had made many mothers thankful to Him by healing their children when they were sick. Little children, too, have prayed, and Jesus has healed them just as He healed that woman's daughter many years ago. He is just the same Jesus today, and will heal all who trust Him.
God's Great Power
Jesus healed people in many countries, in many ways, and of many kinds of diseases. After he had made the woman happy by healing her daughter, He went to another country where there were people who needed Him. Jesus knows just where the people are who want Him and who need Him. When He came to that other country, people soon heard that He was there and they came with their sicks to be healed.
They brought Him a man who was deaf and who could not speak plainly. All Jesus would need to do was speak the word and the people would be healed. Sometimes he would touch them and heal them. He touched this sick man's ears and tongue, and looked up to Heaven and said, "Be opened"; and the man could hear and could speak.
Thankfulness
Jesus has spoken to the hearts of deaf people, and He has saved them . Sometimes they tell of God's great kindness to them by pointing to Heaven, pointing to their heart, and holding up the Bible. It is not hard to tell what they mean, for their faces also show how happy they are to be saved. Some have also been sanctified and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Although not all deaf people receive their healing, we know that some day "the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.... and the tongue of the dumb sing" [Isaiah:35:5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
];[Isaiah:35:6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
]). Several of the dear ones who worshiped the Lord with us and served Him faithfully for many years, have gone Home to be with Jesus. We believe they are singing around the Throne.
1. Do you think the woman who came to Jesus had faith? [Mark:7:26-28 [26] The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
[27] But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
[28] And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
].
2. Did Jesus heal the woman's daughter? [Mark:7:29And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
];[Mark:7:30And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
].
3. Was the deaf man healed? [Mark:7:34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
];[Mark:7:35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
].
4. What must we do when we are sick? [James:5:13-15 [13] Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
[14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
[15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
].
5. Do we receive anything from God without faith? [Hebrews:11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
].
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