Strength In Struggle: Her Strength

Opening:

Can everyone shout, “Strength In Struggle”

This is the title of the series we are in.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Philippian church encouraging them to do many things, one of those things is to activate strength in their struggles. Inside every challenge God has given us the ability to get through it. He gives us tools, weapons, and instructions that if tapped into will give us the victory though Christ Jesus!

(NIV)

27) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

27) Whatever happens (no matter what, above all), conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

28) without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.

29) For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,

28) without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.

30) since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

I showed you a clip of one of nature’s most intriguing illustrations of Strength in a Struggle.

Salmon Run. This is where Salmon travel from the ocean back to their riverbed birthplace in order to reproduce so that the life cycle can continue.

Traveling upstream against powerful currents through lots of dangerous terrain is what it takes for them to achieve their instinctive purpose. Predators such as bears, lions, and birds make a meal out of the unlucky ones. But, there are still many who make it to their destination! Look at the person next to you and tell them, “Someone is going to make, it might as well be me!”

Since it is “Mother’s Day” I thought it proper to look at some particulars of the female salmon and her strength. The attributes i’ll teach on today are common to many mothers.

Since it is “Mother’s Day” I thought it proper to look specifically at the female salmon and some of their special attributes. Some of their attributes are common to Mothers!

PP-Today’s topic is, “Her Strength”

A Mother’s strength is not measured by how many pounds she can pick up. Or how confident she looks when she hides her feelings in a cold world. A mother’s strength is not measured in how much faith she has for the journey, but a Mother’s Strength is measured in her knowing that it’s in the journey that her faith is made strong.

Her strength is measured by her connection to God and seeking His ways! And in turn God gives her instinctive abilities and spiritual discernment to see purpose and victory played out through every challenge.

(NIV)

4Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The same word is used to describe a woman’s natural characteristics.

“Take Delight” ʿā·nǎḡ - effeminate, pertaining to feminine attributes not typical of a man, as soft and pleasing to the touch, or sensitive to be touched.

Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

She trust God for her life and then he blesses her!

Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

She trust God for her life and then he blesses her!

There is a woman in the bible that exhibits some of a woman’s vast strength that I’d like to highlight for today.

PP- (NIV)

21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

24Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.

22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

25In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet.

23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

26The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

27“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

25The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

28“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

26He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

29Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

27“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

30She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

28Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

Here in Syria, however, Jesus and his band are on alien soil, no longer surrounded by monotheistic Jews who automatically connect morality with deity. Tyre was a pagan city; its citizens would only understand this healer as one of many itinerant wonder-workers, more on the order of a magician than a holy man. For the Greeks, and indeed for most of the Middle Eastern peoples, healing had no necessary connection to holiness. Exorcism in particular was the special province of magicians. In their eyes, supernatural powers could only be manipulated by sorcerers adept in occult skills.

Beyond Galilee lay Syria, a stretch of coastland settled in past ages by the seafaring Phoenicians. To this region, homeland of Israel’s ancient enemies, Jesus retreats with his disciples. They have recently been under attack from the Pharisees for failing to observe certain hand-washing rituals. Needing a break from these extended and heated controversies, they find a safe haven in the coastal city of Tyre.

Because Jesus hopes to remain incognito while there, he stays indoors so that he won’t be recognized and thus draw the crowds that inevitably congregate around him. Nevertheless, a native of the region, a Greek woman, discovers his presence in the community and slips into the house. She’s not there to get his autograph though. She has an urgent request: A demon possesses her daughter and she wants Jesus to get rid of it.

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

Beyond Galilee lay Syria, a stretch of coastland settled in past ages by the seafaring Phoenicians. To this region, homeland of Israel’s ancient enemies, Jesus retreats with his disciples. They have recently been under attack from the Pharisees for failing to observe certain hand-washing rituals. Needing a break from these extended and heated controversies, they find a safe haven in the coastal city of Tyre.

Because Jesus hopes to remain incognito while there, he stays indoors so that he won’t be recognized and thus draw the crowds that inevitably congregate around him. Nevertheless, a native of the region, a Greek woman, discovers his presence in the community and slips into the house. She’s not there to get his autograph though. She has an urgent request: A demon possesses her daughter and she wants Jesus to get rid of it.

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

Many layers of history and culture lie beneath this apparently heartless reply. Mark’s description of the woman emphasizes that she is Greek both by birth and religion. Yet she is not the first non-Jew to beg for Jesus’ help. Already he has healed the Roman centurion’s slave. But that was back in the Jewish province of Galilee, and the centurion, recognizing his delicate position as an outsider, demonstrated a sensitivity to Jewish religious tradition by forbearing to ask Jesus to come to his Gentile home.

Many layers of history and culture lie beneath this apparently heartless reply. Mark’s description of the woman emphasizes that she is Greek both by birth and religion. Yet she is not the first non-Jew to beg for Jesus’ help. But she is the first to ask for help outside of Jewish boundaries!

This is a beautiful picture of a Mother seeking the savior for a healing for her demon possessed daughter. Her strength in this struggle is being laid out before us.

Her Strength is her ...

Care/Concern- A true mom’s strength is in their concern for the people and things that matter to her!

Mark tells us that...

PP- (NIV)

25) In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet.

26) The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

As soon as she heard, she fell to her feet and started begging!

Anything a woman has to carry, give birth to, watch over, gets her most elevated attention! What’s this woman’s concern...

PP- Pic of female salmon.

Her child being sick is a concern.

Illustration: Show Video of a female salmon swimming.

The female salmon while on her treacherous journey, begins by instinct to care for something! The eggs that are to come. As she leaves the salty ocean water and enter the fresh water streams, a female salmon’s body starts to prepare to care for that which is to come. She by instinct stop feeding! Because the stomach is no longer needed and will begin to disintegrate! This leaves more room for the developing eggs! She doesn’t have to think about it, her body cares for the eggs before the eggs are even present. She does it by nature!

Its something in her nature that makes a woman care for others!

This Syro-Phoenician woman cared for her daughter and would do anything for her to be delivered!

Never let anyone shame you for caring! God cared.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” : KJV

(NIV)

25In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet.

Caring is a characteristic of God! he cared so much that he prepared for our salvation before you arrived! If he hadn’t, we would still be lost. Your caring for others could ultimately save them!

26The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

A mother is often in conflict. There are times when everyone else says, forget about that person. But they secretly are still trying to figure out how to help. Because they care!

Arithematic Class

Illustration:

In an elementary school a child was asked, “Suppose your mother made a peach pie, and there were ten of you at the table—your mother and father and eight children—how much of the pie would you get?” “A ninth, ma’am,” was the prompt answer. “No, no, James. Now pay attention,” said the teacher. “There are ten of you. Ten, remember. Don’t you know your fractions?” “Yes, ma’am,” was the swift reply of little James, “I know my fractions, but I know my mother, too. She’d say we can have her piece.

A teacher in one of our public schools put this question to little James in the arithmetic class, “James, suppose your mother made a peach pie, and there were ten of you at the table—your mother and father and eight children—how much of the pie would you get?” “A ninth, ma’am,” was the prompt answer. “No, no, James. Now pay attention,” said the teacher. “There are ten of you. Ten, remember. Don’t you know your fractions?” “Yes, ma’am,” was the swift reply of little James, “I know my fractions, but I know my mother, too. She’d say that she didn’t want any pie.”

When doctors told Carolyn Isbister that her tiny premature daughter would die within 20 minutes, she had to prepare herself for the worst. An infection led to the premature birth.

—Presbyterian National

Tiny Rachael had just been born minutes before, weighing just 1.4lb (0.64kg), and her heart was only beating once every ten seconds. But Miss Isbister was determined to have just one cuddle with her daughter and to savor the one precious moment she had, so she picked up tiny Rachael and cuddled her close.

And it was a cuddle that has amazed doctors by saving the baby’s life. The warmth of her mother’s skin actually kickstarted Rachael’s heart into beating properly, which allowed her to take tiny breaths of her own.

Quote:

Miss Isbister said: “She is doing so well. When we finally brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl. And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest. It was that first cuddle which saved her life – and I’m just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up when I did. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here today.”

Listen if God is nudging you to care fore something, or get involved, do it, because God might be using you to heal someone, or save someone’s life! Their life could be in your care!

A mother’s strength is not only in her care, but her strength is also in her… Faith!

A mother’s strength is not only in her care, but her strength is also in her… Digging.

2. Faith

Faith causes you to go beyond the norm.

PP- (NIV)

25In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet.

26The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

She was going beyond the norm, past the surface level, to get her daughter the help she needed! She was digging deep!

PP-Illustration: The female salmon travels through dangerous terrain, why? because she is trying to get to a birthing place!

When she arrives at the birthing place, she starts digging with her tail. She creates a “redd” or an underwater nest.

2. They “Dig” - she was insistent, dogged, hard-nosed, determined.

The upstroke of the female salmon’s body and tail, sucks up the river bottom gravel and uses the river current to drift it downstream. She doesn’t stop until she has created several nest! She is insistent.

Faith that God is going to birth something out of you causes you to dig! And Prepare!

As supplicants often did, she falls at his feet to make her appeal. But, Jesus ignores her. This response—or, as Matthew records the story, failure to respond—shocks us. Nowhere else in the Gospels does Jesus display such seeming indifference and lack of compassion toward a petitioner. The Jesus we know and love never turns anyone away. To the untrained eye, this seemed cold and callous. But it was a tactic. It forced her to dig deeper!

As supplicants often did, she falls at his feet to make her appeal. Jesus ignores her.

This response—or, as Matthew records the story, failure to respond—shocks us. Nowhere else in the Gospels does Jesus display such seeming indifference and lack of compassion toward a petitioner. The Jesus we know and love never turns anyone away. To the untrained eye, this seemed cold and callous. But it was a tactic. It forced her to dig deeper!

This cold callousness was a tactic. It forced her to dig deeper!

To get oil from an olive there has to be a press, a push, a digging into the

Nevertheless, she continues to cry out to him to have mercy and heal her daughter.

In She caused such a ruckus that the disciples pleaded with Jesus to get rid of her, send her away, do something to shut her up.

Keep praying, even if they think you’re crazy and causing a ruckus!

To that end, Jesus turns to her and delivers the cruelest words recorded as coming from his mouth in Mark 7:27...

PP- (NIV)

27“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“I’m not here on your account,” he tells her.

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

As supplicants often did, she falls at his feet to make her appeal. Jesus ignores her.

This response—or, as Matthew records the story, failure to respond—shocks us. Nowhere else in the Gospels does Jesus display such seeming indifference and lack of compassion toward a petitioner. The Jesus we know and love never turns anyone away. Yet this woman he ignores. Nevertheless, she continues to cry out to him to have mercy and heal her daughter. Such a ruckus does she raise that the disciples, realizing her shouts will soon draw a crowd, plead with Jesus to get rid of her, send her away, do something to shut her up.

To that end, Jesus turns to her and delivers the cruelest words recorded as coming from his mouth. “I’m not here on your account,” he tells her. “I’m here to help my own people who are in bad shape. They’re lost and wandering. I can’t waste my time and energy on you. That would be like taking food out of the children’s mouth and giving it to the puppies under the table.” (The Greek word is not “dogs” but “puppies,” the only softened note in this harsh refusal.)

“I’m not here on your account,” he tells her.

“I’m here to help my own people who are in bad shape. They’re lost and wandering. I can’t waste my time and energy on you. That would be like taking food out of the children’s mouth and giving it to the puppies under the table.” (The Greek word is not “dogs” but “puppies,” the only softened note in this harsh refusal.)

PP- Why did he seem so indifferent?

He wanted her to discover who he was and the power he had to offer even in the face of where she lived! The Culture of the City of Tyre & Sidon

He was pull

He wanted her to discover who he was and the power he had to offer even in the face of where she lived!

Where she was was important. She lived in the City of Tyre & Sidon

PP- Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities. The powers of darkness reigned supreme. Magicians, soothsayers, and mediums permeated the culture. Had Jesus answered her request initially, he would have been seen by her and the others in the city as just another magician, soothsayer.

The second reason why Jesus didn’t respond positively to her request was because of her background, what she grew up in, what was familiar to her...

PP- Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities. The powers of darkness reigned supreme. Magicians, soothsayers, and mediums permeated the culture. Had Jesus answered her request initially, he would have been seen by her and the others in the city as just another magician, soothsayer.

Jesus and his disciples weren’t in a monotheisitc society who understood that there was only one God. They didn’t connect morality with deity.

In their eyes, supernatural powers could only be manipulated by sorcerers adept in occult skills.

Jesus wanted her to dig and discover who he was! He wasn’t just another magician. He was the son of David, God in the flesh.

A mother’s strength is in her caring, her digging, and her willingness to “Sacrifice” herself! Pour herself out!

PP- 3. Sacrifice

PP- 3. She empties Out

He wanted her to sacrifice all, even her dignity!

(NIV)

27“First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

Jesus was telling the woman that His first priority in being there was to instruct His disciples. It is not appropriate to interrupt a family meal to give the dogs food from the table. So it was not appropriate for Him to interrupt His ministry to His disciples to give His services to her, a Gentile. But Jesus’ reluctance to help stimulated her faith.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 7:27

Jesus was telling the woman that His first priority in being there was to instruct His disciples. It is not appropriate to interrupt a family meal to give the dogs food from the table. So it was not appropriate for Him to interrupt His ministry to His disciples to give His services to her, a Gentile. But Jesus’ reluctance to help stimulated her faith.

She sacrificed everything she thought she knew, to embrace Jesus as LORD.

(NIV)

28“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

“True enough,” she agrees, “yet even the puppies are allowed to scavenge the crumbs that fall from the table.”

LORD! I know that your people are the chosen ones, but even at that, there has to be something for me! if i need to be the lowly one, so be it! It I need to sacrifice to take down who I thought I was, so be it!

I’ll give up my dignity for divinity!

John the baptist was a powerful preacher. But even he knew that when God is working something out, you must sacrifice and submit to God. John told his own disciples...

(KJV 1900)

30He must increase, but I must decrease.

Unless she recognized the source of Jesus’ power, both she and her daughter will continue to live at the mercy of darkness!

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus has already told those who wanted to see him put on a magic show that exorcising demons from people of such shallow understanding does no good. Even if the first unclean spirit leaves them, they will soon be re-infested sevenfold.

Instead of leaving with an attitude, at the unflattering comparison Jesus has just made, she assures him that she buys into his point about feeding children of Israel before feeding outsiders!

Jesus said, the only sign I’m giving you, is about my death and burial in the tomb. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

(NIV)

28“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

The woman remains insistent, however. Instead of leaving in a huff at the unflattering comparison Jesus has just made, she assures him that she understands his point about feeding children before puppies. “True enough,” she agrees, “yet even the puppies are allowed to scavenge the crumbs that fall from the table.”

“True enough,” she agrees, “yet even the puppies are allowed to scavenge the crumbs that fall from the table.”

This retort acknowledges that there is indeed an essential difference between the religion of her city and that of Jesus.

Pagan understanding of supernatural power is stunted and incomplete.

Magic is not the same as miracle. Her daughter would be healed through the power of the spirit of the one true God of Israel.

Her reply shows Jesus that she perceives a difference between her own background of occultism and his tradition of righteousness.

She was willing to eat the crumbs of what Jesus had to offer!

With great humility, she acknowledges her position as an outsider, and surrenders, empties out, her old self to her new found God!

Giving up all for those they love is a strength of a Godly Mother. They sacrifice all for things they believe has great worth. They sacrifice because their is something bigger than the moment.

Women give all because they believe that what they sacrifice for has great worth. They sacrifice because their is something bigger than the moment.

Nevertheless, she is willing to be fed, if only by the crumbs of that tradition, knowing that her people’s gods offer her neither healing nor protection. With great humility, she acknowledges her position as an outsider, someone who does not fully understand, a person to whom, after a certain amount of religious instruction, the Jews might award the title “God-fearer”—though they would never admit her to the inner court of their temple.

Women give all because they believe that what they sacrifice for has great worth. They sacrifice because their is something bigger than the moment.

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

The woman remains insistent, however. Instead of leaving in a huff at the unflattering comparison Jesus has just made, she assures him that she takes his point about feeding children before puppies. “True enough,” she agrees, “yet even the puppies are allowed to scavenge the crumbs that fall from the table.”

This retort acknowledges that there is indeed an essential difference between the religion of pagans and that of Jews. Something more than cultural diversity is at stake. Pagan understanding of supernatural power is stunted and incomplete. Magic is not the same as miracle. Connecting wholeness and holiness is crucial. Her reply shows Jesus that she perceives a difference between her own background of occultism and his tradition of righteousness. Nevertheless, she is willing to be fed, if only by the crumbs of that tradition, knowing that her people’s gods offer her neither healing nor protection. With great humility, she acknowledges her position as an outsider, someone who does not fully understand, a person to whom, after a certain amount of religious instruction, the Jews might award the title “God-fearer”—though they would never admit her to the inner court of their temple.

At that point, Jesus eagerly responds to her request. He does not wait till her understanding is full and complete—after all, his own inner circle frequently demonstrate their deplorable ignorance about his mission. Her simple confession that she’d rather feed on the crumbs of reality than starve on illusions is enough for Jesus. In fact, it carries sufficient weight for him to declare her faith great.

A Godly mother will sacrifice all to see a child healed. They will sacrifice all to get the family back together. They sacrifice all for the bigger purpose!

Women give all because they believe that what they sacrifice for has great worth. They sacrifice because their is something bigger than the moment. Legacy is at stake.

Illustration: Pic

After digging the redd, she then empties out her eggs, depositing a few hundred eggs in each during the one or two days she is spawning. Each redd is located immediately upstream from the last to allow the current to deposit drifting gravel on top of and covering the previous redd.

Salmon spawn between 2000 and 6000 eggs, depending upon species.

She Surrenders, she empties out!

Daughters of Eve: Seeing Ourselves in Women of the Bible Syro-Phoenician Woman

This retort acknowledges that there is indeed an essential difference between the religion of pagans and that of Jews. Something more than cultural diversity is at stake. Pagan understanding of supernatural power is stunted and incomplete. Magic is not the same as miracle. Connecting wholeness and holiness is crucial. Her reply shows Jesus that she perceives a difference between her own background of occultism and his tradition of righteousness. Nevertheless, she is willing to be fed, if only by the crumbs of that tradition, knowing that her people’s gods offer her neither healing nor protection. With great humility, she acknowledges her position as an outsider

This is another reason why women have a worship instinct, they can empty out so that God can get the glory!

Her reply shows Jesus that she perceives a difference between her own background of occultism and his tradition of righteousness. Nevertheless, she is willing to be fed, if only by the crumbs of that tradition, knowing that her people’s gods offer her neither healing nor protection. With great humility, she acknowledges her position as an outsider, and empties out her ego, and surrenders to Jesus!

After the Female Salmon pours out her eggs, she starts to die!

Women give all because they believe that what they sacrifice for has great worth. They sacrifice because their is something bigger than the moment. Legacy is at stake.

After the Female Salmon pours out her eggs, she starts to die!

This is a beautiful picture of Worship, Surrender, and dying to the Flesh!

Illustration: When the female salmon, empties out her belly, not long after she dies! She essentially sacrificed herself to keep the cycle of life going!

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3647 “Mama, Kiss Me!”

William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the Princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child’s breath.

Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Gasping and struggling for her life, the child said, “Mamma, kiss me!” Without thinking of herself, the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphteria and some days thereafter she went to be with the Lord.

Here in Syria, however, Jesus and his band are on alien soil, no longer surrounded by monotheistic Jews who automatically connect morality with deity. Tyre was a pagan city; its citizens would only understand this healer as one of many itinerant wonder-workers, more on the order of a magician than a holy man. For the Greeks, and indeed for most of the Middle Eastern peoples, healing had no necessary connection to holiness. Exorcism in particular was the special province of magicians. In their eyes, supernatural powers could only be manipulated by sorcerers adept in occult skills.

Beyond Galilee lay Syria, a stretch of coastland settled in past ages by the seafaring Phoenicians. To this region, homeland of Israel’s ancient enemies, Jesus retreats with his disciples. They have recently been under attack from the Pharisees for failing to observe certain hand-washing rituals. Needing a break from these extended and heated controversies, they find a safe haven in the coastal city of Tyre.

Because Jesus hopes to remain incognito while there, he stays indoors so that he won’t be recognized and thus draw the crowds that inevitably congregate around him. Nevertheless, a native of the region, a Greek woman, discovers his presence in the community and slips into the house. She’s not there to get his autograph though. She has an urgent request: A demon possesses her daughter and she wants Jesus to get rid of it.

Many layers of history and culture lie beneath this apparently heartless reply. Mark’s description of the woman emphasizes that she is Greek both by birth and religion. Yet she is not the first non-Jew to beg for Jesus’ help. But she is the first to ask for help outside of Jewish boundaries!

Illustration:

Arithmetic Class

Arithematic Class

In an elementary school a child was asked, “Suppose your mother made a peach pie, and there were ten of you at the table—your mother and father and eight children—how much of the pie would you get?” “A ninth, ma’am,” was the prompt answer. “No, no, James. Now pay attention,” said the teacher. “There are ten of you. Ten, remember. Don’t you know your fractions?” “Yes, ma’am,” was the swift reply of little James, “I know my fractions, but I know my mother, too. She’d say we can have her piece.

William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the Princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child’s breath.

Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Gasping and struggling for her life, the child said, “Mamma, kiss me!” Without thinking of herself, the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphteria and some days thereafter she went to be with the Lord.

(NIV)

13As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Women give all because they believe that what they sacrifice for has great worth. They sacrifice because their is something bigger than the moment. Legacy is at stake.

(NIV)

When the female salmon, empties out her belly, not long after she dies! She essentially sacrificed herself to keep the cycle of life going!

9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”

(NIV)

20A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.