The Gospel of Mark, Pt. 32

An Outsider’s Great Faith

The following letter was found in a baking-power can wired to the handle of an old pump that offered the only hope of drinking water on a very long and seldom-used trail across Nevada's Amargosa Desert: "This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer into it and it ought to last five years. But the washer dries out and the pump has got to be primed. Under the white rock I buried a bottle of water, out of the sun and cork end up. There's enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about one-fourth and let her soak to wet the leather. Then pour in the rest medium fast and pump like crazy. You'll git water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. When you git watered up, fill the bottle and put it back like you found it for the next feller. (signed) Desert Pete. P.S. Don't go drinking the water first. Prime the pump with it and you'll git all you can hold."

Examples of great faith often come in the most unexpected of circumstances, and such is the case of the story we’re going to see in today’s text as we continue in part 32 of our series through the Gospel of Mark. Already we’ve seen examples of faith exhibited by the ruler of a synagogue by the name of Jairus who’s daughter was deathly ill, as well as a woman with a severe issue with blood loss. We also saw great faith early on in Mark’s gospel letter when we read of the group of friends who lowered their paralytic friend through the roof of a house to find healing. And as we’ve seen throughout our time in Mark, hundreds, if not thousands, sought after Jesus having faith that he could heal their illnesses.

But one thing to keep in mind is that all these stories of great faith that we’ve encountered have occurred within a particular context - namely, that these have occurred throughout the general Galilee area, and thus have exclusively involved Jews who had some point of reference of a God who heals and the expectation of a coming Messiah who would do the same. However, as we’re going to see in today’s text, another story of great faith is going to take place in the most unexpected of places and involving an unexpected type of person.

At this point in the grand narrative, we’re about 2 years into the three-year ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus has primarily focused his ministry within a Jewish context amongst Jewish people. He’s taught in Jewish synagogues and has confronted Jewish religious leaders. But now, Jesus and his disciples are going to begin to embark on a journey north of the Galilee and into a region of Gentile people groups, which will set up for some amazing stories to come. The first of which we will see as we pick up in Mark 7:24–30 .......

(SLIDE) “And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.”

So our text picks up where we left off last week where Jesus was teaching in the area of Gennesaret about the important distinctions between human traditions and God’s inerrant and infallible word and how that determines what actually defiles a person. So Jesus and his disciples leave the Galilee region and head north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Tyre and Sidon were two Phoenician port cities along the Mediterranean Sea that are located in what is modern-day Lebanon. This was an exclusively Gentile region that was known for is material wealth as well as being a center of religious idolatry and sexual immorality. If you remember from 1 Kings, Ahab, the king of the northern Kingdom of Israel at the time, married a woman named Jezebel, who was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. And from there, much of Israel adopted the worship of the pagan god Baal. And from then on in Biblical history, Tyre and Sidon became the focus for some of the strongest prophetic denunciations in Scripture.

Nevertheless, Jesus and his disciples escape the crowds from the Galilee region in search for some anonymity, as Mark says that they entered into a house for the purposes of not being known by others. Yet Mark says even there, he could not be hidden. I don’t want to make too much of this point, but there’s something to be said about so sold-out for Jesus and so strong in your walk with him that no matter where you go, you’re noticed by your faith. No matter where Jesus went, he could never truly be hidden. His presence and his influence were undeniable, and so I wonder how much of that could be said about you and me today. Not that we’re to be these cookie-cutter Christians with our noses in the air and acting like we’re superior to everyone else, but does Jesus emanate so richly and genuinely from us that our sheer presence is noticeable by others. Are we so kind.....and so generous......and so loving......and so gracious......and so humble......and so quick to serve and show compassion to others that people can’t help but notice something different about us? If we’re truly following Jesus, we too will not stay hidden for very long.

So in typical Markan fashion, we’re introduced to a woman who “immediately” comes into the presence of Jesus and falls down at his feet. Mark tells us that her little daughter had an unclean spirit. In Matthew’s account of this story, the woman says that her daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. And this leads us to the first characteristic that we’re going to point out about this woman.....notice her (SLIDE) desperate faith. Again, keep in mind where this story is taking place and where this woman is from. We’re in the gentile region of Tyre and Sidon that historically was a center for religious idolatry. Although it became a Hellenistic and Greek region in Jesus’ day, the natives held on to their Phonecian gods and goddesses from centuries past. So from Baal worship during the 800s BC to the supreme guardian god of Tyre called “Melqart”, who’s Greek counterpart was Hercules. Likewise, the most prominent Phoenician goddess was Astarte, who was the goddess of fertility, love, and war. She was most closely associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite, or the Roman goddess Venus.

Now remember how both Mark and Matthew describe this woman. Mark says in verse 26 that she’s a Gentile and a Syrophoenician by birth. And Mark’s intended Roman audience would have had the cultural framework to know exactly what that entailed. On the other hand, Matthew describes her as a Canaanite woman. Now keep in mind that Matthew’s audience was primarily Jewish, so the description as a Canaanite would not have only pointed to the woman’s ethnic and geographic heritage, but it would have also riled up the Jewish audience’s emotional reaction to the fact that a Canaanite was involved in the story, as Jews and Canaanites were historic enemies.

Nevertheless, this gentile, Syrophoenician Canaanite woman would have had a host of gods and goddesses to appeal to for the healing of her daughter. And yet, with all that demonic idol worship that was prominent in this woman’s culture, its no surprise that her daughter became demon-possessed. And so this mother was desperate. She likely had called out to her native gods and goddesses and obviously found no relief.....no help.....no healing from this false idols. And so enters in this Jesus of Nazareth, and maybe because she had heard of him in the past, or maybe she even witnessed some of his past miracles herself, her desperation forced her to reach out to this Jew.

As a parent, I can relate to this woman, and so I can only imagine how the moms in the room might be able to relate even more. There’s just about nothing you moms won’t do for your babies, and I think that’s part of being made in the image of God. Your babies are your babies, and that never changes, no matter how old they get. Dads, we’re different! We start becoming progressively less emotionally attached to our kids early on.....like pretty much from the time they start walking! Like once they show some signs of independence and individuality, dads, we treat our kids in totally different ways than moms do.

Like if they fall......get up....you’re good!.....

Or if they cry for extended periods of time........its good for them....it builds their lungs!

They eat dirt or a bug.......its good for them.....

But not moms! The child can be 4 months or 4 years or 14 years or 40 years.....that child is still their baby, and there’s something within the mother’s heart that keeps them tied to their children in some beautiful and I’d even say some divinely-inspired way that is truly a reflection of the love of God. And therefore, there’s really no extent a mom wouldn’t go to for the sake of her children. And we see this in this gentile woman. She is desperate and she has exhausted all other avenues to which she has access and familiarity. And so she turns to the one who alone can actually do something about her little child’s situation.

Which leads to the second characteristic of this woman.....notice her (SLIDE) reverent faith. In typical Markan fashion, there isn’t as much detail about discourse as there is simply about action. Mark tells us in verse 25 that the woman heard about Jesus and came and fell down at his feet. This alone speaks volumes about what the woman thought about Jesus. She simply heard of him and she acted with great, reverent faith by prostrating herself before him. Keep in mind this cultural distinction between the two. She’s a gentile, Syrophoenician, Canaanite woman.....and Jesus is a Jewish rabbi. This action would be unheard of. And yet, this woman shows great reverence before the Lord.

And Matthew’s gospel only brings this out even more. In Matthew 15:22, this woman cries out (SLIDE), “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”” For one, this woman cries for mercy from Jesus. She knows she’s desperate....she knows she’s helpless....and she’s well aware of the religious and cultural realities that separate her from this Jewish rabbi......and so she cries for mercy. And look at how she addresses Jesus. She calls him Lord. Its Kurios in the Greek, which means Master. She’s recognizing that Jesus is in a position of great authority. And its likely that as a gentile woman, she wasn’t familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, however, its important to remember that the term Kurios in the Septuagint was the name used to represent Yahweh God in the Old Testament.

And now pair this together with what she calls him next - she calls him “Son of David”. Again, we don’t know how she learned this term, but that is a specific Messianic phrase. The Jewish Messiah was believed to have descended from the line of King David. So this woman is not only showing great reverence by referring to Jesus as Lord, but she’s recognizing him as the Jewish Messiah. This makes her one of only a few in Mark’s gospel who’s able to make these connections so quickly. And who were the others who most readily made these kinds of confessions.......the demons. Remember all the way back in Mark 1 and the man with the unclean spirit in the synagogue in Capernaum, and it was the demon who called Jesus “The Holy One of God”......or in Mark 5 and the demoniac in the country of the Gerasenes who called Jesus the “Son of the Most High God”.

So along with the demons, this gentile Canaanite woman rightly acknowledged who Jesus really was, and she therefore approached him with great honor and reverence and respect. Now Mark’s gospel leaves out an interesting detail that Matthew draws out in his account. Again, in verse 22 of Matthew 15, the woman cries out to Jesus to have mercy on her for her daughter is severely oppressed by demons, and then look at how Jesus responds. In Matthew 15:23 (SLIDE) “But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”” Isn’t this interesting? This was the same Jesus who often looked upon the masses of people who had gathered to hear him and preach and be healed by him and we’re often told that Jesus would be moved with compassion, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus was the compassionate Savior who felt the plights and the pains of others.

And yet, in this story, we see something almost completely the opposite. This woman comes to him in desperation and with great reverence, and we’re told that he didn’t even answer her. And yet, apparently this woman didn’t let that stop her, and she continued to cry out to him and to his disciples. Maybe she was thinking.....well, if Jesus won’t answer me, maybe his friends and companions will. And so Matthew tells us that his disciples begged him to do something and respond to her. They’re annoyed by her pestering, just like they were annoyed with the masses in Mark 6 during the feeding of the 5,000 where they requested that Jesus send the people away to fend for themselves.

Isn’t that just like the disciples to do that? They’re tired....they’re hangry.....and they just want to be left alone. And aren’t we the same way sometimes? We’re tired.....we’re emotionally drained.....we’re frustrated and discouraged and worn out......and others are more of an annoyance than anything else. But look at what Jesus says in response to them in Matthew 15:24 (SLIDE) “He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”” This one short statement speaks volumes, not only about the nature of Jesus’s ministry and mission as a whole, but the transitional pivot in his ministry that is marked by this story. Jesus is clarifying to his disciples, and by extension all who are within earshot, including this woman, that the primary purpose of his first coming is to minister to and bring the gospel primarily to the lost sheep of the House of Israel, or in other words, the Jews.

And this doesn’t speak of ethnic superiority as much as it reminds us that there’s divine order in the God’s plan of redemption for the world, and that plan began primarily through the nation of Israel. They are God’s chosen people from the very beginning, through whom God made covenants and promises. And it was through this specific lineage of people that the Savior of the World would come. And therefore, he came first for the Jews. Paul says in Romans 15:8 (SLIDE) “For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,...” Even the twelve apostles were told as they were sent out in Matthew 10:5–6 “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

So this is why Jesus’ ministry was so heavily focused in the Galilee region, and would later descend down into Jerusalem. However, along the way, there would also be interactions with Gentiles. Early on in John’s gospel, Jesus has an interaction with a Samaritan woman. In Mark’s gospel, both here in Tyre and Sidon, as well as the demoniac in Mark 5. And then in Matthew’s gospel, while in Capernaum, Jesus in confronted with a Roman Centurion. So the pattern was to focus on the Jewish people primarily, but eventually the gospel would go out even to the gentile nations. And this is why Paul says in Romans 1:16 (SLIDE) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

So Jesus reminded his followers and everyone around them that there was order to his mission and ministry. Which sets the stage for the next characteristic of this woman to make note of.......notice her (SLIDE) persistent faith. Look at how she responds in verse Matthew 15:25 (SLIDE) “But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”” This woman wasn’t about to give up. She understood the order of things.....she understood she was an outsider and this was a total hail-mary attempt to find healing for her daughter, but she wasn’t about to give up. Jesus was seemingly paying her no attention, and his disciples were growing restless and irritated, but one way or another, this woman was going to remain persistent in her request for help from the only one who could help her.

And this should remind us of the parable of the persistent widow found in Luke 18:1–8 (SLIDE) “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?””

How often do we pray for something once, and then when we don’t get the answer we’re looking for, or we think that God’s isn’t listening, that we grow frustrated and want to give up? The widow in the parable kept coming to this evil and wicked king, knowing that although he didn’t fear God or respect man, he was still the only one who could help with her situation. And so she remained persistent in her request and continually came before the king. So if an evil king would eventually give in to the persistent cry of a helpless woman, how much more would a just and holy and loving God respond to those who come to him by faith through persistent prayer and petition?

This is likely more for me than it is for you right now, but we need to be reminded to remain faithful in persistent prayer no matter how slowly or quickly we perceive God to be paying attention and answering our prayers. Maybe Jesus wasn’t rudely ignoring this woman, but was rather testing her to see how genuine and persistent her faith was going to be in him to heal her daughter. And I just wonder if God does the same with you and me.......is it sometimes He sees it necessary to test our faith.....so that we can prove it genuine and persistent. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not particularly good at this. Often times, I lay my request at the feet of the Lord, and then leave it at that. I’ve said my peace, and I’m moving on. But sometimes, God is seeking to grow our faith by disciplining us with silence, with a unanswered prayer, not because He doesn’t care, but because persistence grows into perseverance. And remember what Paul tells us in Romans 5.....perseverance leads to character....and character leads to hope.

God’s silences and unanswered prayer is often an opportunity for us to grow in character and hope which will ultimately only grow our faith, so we need to be like this woman and remain persistent in our prayers. We shouldn’t lose heart, but rather remain steadfast and committed in prayer over the things for which we desperately needs God’s mercy and help. So if you haven’t received that healing.....if you haven’t received that spiritual breakthrough.......if you haven’t received that fix to a broken relationship or you haven’t received that clear direction from the Lord.....don’t give up child of God......keep praying about it......keep falling down at the feet of Jesus in faith.....and know that he is faithful to respond in his time and in his way.

And this is exactly what see next in the text. So the woman persists in her request, and Jesus finally answers, and look at what he say back in our text, in Mark 7:27 (SLIDE) “And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”” Just so you know, this has been one of the most popularly misused verses in all of Scripture by those who want to distort the biblical revelation of who Jesus really is in order to paint Jesus as a racist and as simply another man capable of moral failure. There’s a guy by the name of Brandon Robertson, who’s a gay, self-proclaimed “pastor” of a progressive, liberal church who interprets this passage in such a way to show that Jesus was sinful and guilty of racial bigotry. And on the surface, you and I might feel the same way. But let’s dig into this passage just a bit so we can understand what’s going on here.

As Jesus does in may instances, he uses a familiar cultural context as a parable in order to teach a greater point. And in this context, he uses the setting of a family meal in a home, maybe much like what they were experiencing in the home they were in there in Tyre and Sidon. And so there are three components to this parable or analogy that we need to consider.......the children.....the bread.....and the dogs. The children would refer to the nation of Israel....the Jewish people. We know that because of what Jesus just got done saying to his disciples in Matthew 15:24. The children are the lost sheep of Israel. And within the Hebrew mindset, it was commonplace to refer to Jews as the children of God.

Therefore, the bread offered to the children would refer to the gospel message. Jesus fed the 5,000 with bread and fish as a depiction of the greater Moses who would provide his people with not just physical nourishment, but spiritual nourishment as well, and later on in John 6, would be referred to as the bread of life, for whoever would come to him will never hunger. And so this bread, the gospel message, as Jesus already established, was intended first for the Jews.

And then there’s this mention of dogs. In the ESV, its just rendered as “dogs” both in Mark and Matthew. And virtually all other translations render it as such. However, the NKJV is the lone exception, and those translators add the adjective “little”......so “little dogs.” And this is actually an important distinction to make in order to understand the context and overall meaning of Jesus’ response here. In Jesus’ day, it was common for Jews to refer to Gentiles as dogs. That was certainly a common racial epithet of their day. And it didn’t just have racist undertones, but it also was used to point out the spiritual depravity of the gentile who actively rejected the God of the Bible and his gospel message.

Paul says in Philippians 3:2 “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.” Here, Paul is referring to those opposed to the gospel message, whether they be Jewish pharisees and Judaizers or gentiles who continue to reject the truth of Jesus Christ. However, there’s an important distinction to make here. Paul uses the Greek word “kyon”, which is rightly translated as dog, and it would refer to the wild packs of ravaging dogs that would roam around through town and feed on garbage and carry diseases and would often terrorize unsuspecting people, especially the homeless and the poor.

However, both Mark and Matthew employ a variation of this word that demands an important distinction. They use the Greek word “kynarion”, which refers to a small, domesticated pet. This would be your common house dog....this is your little Rosco! And so this wouldn’t have drawn such a negative connotation to the original audience. Jesus is painting the picture of a family meal that would be common even within our modern-day context, in which a family is at the dinner table and their pets are patiently sitting on the floor, ready to lick up an crumbs or table scraps that might fall to the floor.

We don’t have family pets (although I do want to have a dog one day.......persistent prayer.......), but I know from the example and advice of those who do have pets that you don’t want to get into the habit of feeding your dogs food from the table. Often times, human food isn’t good for dogs, and you don’t want to train them to beg and expect to be fed when you’re sitting at the table. That creates bad habits for the dogs and is not conducive to proper training, as you don’t want the dogs to expect to be fed every time you sit down for a meal. Its not their place, and they need to learn that.

Likewise, in according with what Jesus told his disciples, the bread, or the gospel message, was intended first for the Jews, or the children at the table. Therefore, it would not be in proper order to take what belongs to the children of the family and give to their small house dog. The pets would get their food in due time, but there needs to be some kind of proper order in the process. Eventually, the pets will be fed, along with all in the household, and this would point to how the Gentile nations would eventually be grafted into the household of faith and the family of God.

Consider what Paul says in Ephesians 2:11–14 (SLIDE) “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility...” Through the atoning work of Christ, two people groups who were formerly separated from one another are now brought together as one family of God, so much so that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but all are one in Christ. In other words, the cultural and ethnic distinctions that used to divide people into lower and higher classes are now done away with, and we are all now on equal playing level with each other.

However, within the context of our story, this time had not come to fruition yet, which lends to this next amazing quality of this woman’s faith.......notice her (SLIDE) humble faith in her response in Mark 7:28 (SLIDE) “But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”” Again, whether these crumbs accidentally fall to the floor for the pets to eat up, or if you’re like me and can’t help but resist those cute little puppy-dog eyes staring up at you and patiently waiting to get a morsel......eventually it seems in most cases, the little dogs are going to be able to share in the meal. Mark mentions the dogs eating the “...children's crumbs.” Matthew says that eventually the dogs get to “...eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” The children are sitting at the table, but its the master’s table.

And rather than being overly sensitive and offended by some falsely perceived sense of racism or bigotry, and refusing to fight for she might believe she has earned by this point, the Syrophoenician woman remains humble and acknowledges the fact that there is divine order to things, but still humbly asks for mercy. She’s not offended by Jesus, and she doesn’t allow her own racial and ethnic status to well up with pride and say, “Hey Mr. Jew, you’re in my territory now......put up or shut up!” No.....this woman remains humble...and she remembers the dismal state that she is in. She’s got nothing to bring to the table, and so she continues to refer to Jesus as Lord, as Master.....as is willing to settle for even just the scraps from the table.

How many times do we unknowingly and unintentionally act with pride as we consider all the right things we’ve done and said that should somehow merit God’s favor in our lives. I’ve gone to church faithfully every Sunday......I’ve tithed 10% every month and I pray and I read my Bible daily......I’ve done and said all the right things.......so God.....you owe me this! I’ve earned your favor.....I’ve earned your attention.....I’ve earned answered prayer....I’m good enough.....I’m worthy and deserving of your attention!

And so how quickly we forget that God resists the proud but gives mercy to the humble. No matter how sanctified we’ve become.....we could never be deserving of God’s grace and mercy. Our best deeds are like filthy rags to God. We could never do enough or say enough to earn his favor. And therefore we receive his favor not because we’re good, but because He is good. God in and of himself is good and loving and gracious and kind, and that’s not contingent on our obedience or faithful. Its simply who He is. And so even if we just get the crumbs.....even if we just get a little bit.....if it comes from God, its more than enough!

This woman was willing to settle for just the crumbs....just the leftovers.....just the scraps from the table. She didn’t need a seat at the table.....she wasn’t demanding to be recognized or affirmed in any way.....she was willing to settle for just the crumbs.......what humility.....what great faith!

And is leads to our last point for today.......notice the (SLIDE) pleasing faith of the woman. Again, Mark focuses primarily on action, so he ends this story in this way.....(SLIDE) Mark 7:29–30 “And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.” However, Matthew again adds a little more detail to the story.....(SLIDE) Matthew 15:28 “Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”

Jesus immediately recognized the tremendous faith of this woman. It was a desperate faith.....and a reverent faith......it was a persistent faith.....and a humble faith.....and Jesus was so moved that he honored the woman’s request and healed her daughter instantly. The lack of faith of his own disciples often frustrated Jesus and amazed him in not so good of ways. We’re told in Mark 6 that the unbelief of the crowds in his own hometown of Nazareth led to a relative lack of miraculous works on the part of Jesus. However, this great faith of the Syrophoenician woman led to a miraculous healing by Messiah Jesus himself.

And its to this point that we’re reminded of the words of the writer of Hebrews, (SLIDE) Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” This woman believed who Jesus really was....he was the Son of David, the long-awaited Messiah, and she knew that if she sought him with all her heart and remained persistently humble in her faith, that Jesus would in fact honor her request to heal her daughter.

And so do we likewise live out that kind of faith in our own lives?

Are we so desperate that we are willing to overlook any obstacles that may appear in our way?

Are we remembering who the Lord is and therefore coming to him reverence and honor?

Are we persisting through the waiting....through the silence.....through the unanswered prayers?

And are we remaining humble through it all, refusing for pride and impatience to well up within us?

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

But with faith, mountains can be moved.....the seemingly impossible becomes entirely possible.

And we can rest assured that if we draw near to God through faith, he will reward us as we earnestly and genuinely seek him!