Faith for the present time

A WOMAN approached Jesus in desperate need. Falling at His feet, she begged Him to drive out an impure spirit that was tormenting her little daughter.

Surprisingly, Jesus refused. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” (Matthew 7:27). This is where this story should have ended, but it doesn’t.

In most cases, people have been told that sometimes, for His own reasons, God chooses not to grant our requests. However, this woman didn’t take “no” for an answer. “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Jesus seemed taken aback by her boldness of faith and told her, “For such a reply, you’ve got what you came for. The demon has left your daughter.”

Did you get it? Jesus plainly refused her. At best, He had told her, “Not now – maybe some other time. This is not a good moment.” Faith brings what may belong to the future into the present. You have a part to play in receiving the answer to your prayer. Is it possible you may have missed out on the very thing you might have received if you would have continued to believe? Your attitude has lots to do with the outcome of the crisis you face right now.

We tend to think of God as the One who will answer in “His time”. That kind of attitude can delay things endlessly. To expect you will have the answer someday is not really faith. Faith deals with what is available from God right now. Your faith will access what is already there in God’s world, and bring it into yours.