Here is blessed reasoning: it produced admiration in the Lord: "O woman, great is thy faith!" It also obtained a rich grant from him: "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Great faith] How does it appear? We do not find that she came to Christ in full assurance of faith, saying, I know thou art my Saviour, I am assured thou hast loved me and wilt save me. No. Still there was great faith without this. Look at her faith: imitate it: she honored the Lord by it; he honors her for it.
She was in trouble: she flees instantly to Christ; she tells him of her sorrows: "Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." To cry to Jesus for mercy, in trials and under a sense of sin, is the prayer of faith, and honors the Lord of glory.
Here were great discouragements: Christ answers her not a word: the disciples desire him to cure her, that they might get rid of her: but Jesus answers, (not her, but his disciples,) "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Was not this repulse enough to strike her dumb and send her away in despair! Instead of this, her faith grew stronger and her importunity greater. She falls at his feet, with, Lord, help me. O that was putting it home to the loving heart of our dear Lord: she brought her case to a point: Jesus, you can help me; none but you can: if you do not, I am miserable. Have you no compassion for a poor miserable sinner? Lord, help me. Thus casting herself upon the Lord's love and power, she at last gets an answer from him: but, O such a one as was like a dagger to her heart, "It is not meet to take the children's bread and east it to the dogs."
Does she now turn away in despair? No. She had a child's heart, and a child's faith too: she again puts her case home to the Saviour. Mark it: I am a dog, a vile, unworthy creature; let me be fed as such upon the falling crumb: I know I do not deserve even that from thee. See what perseverance, faith and prayer will do; it overcomes all difficulties, surmounts all obstacles, obtains the sought-for mercy. Some in our day would have thought this woman undervalued herself: but Jesus humbles those sinners to the very lowest whom he raises to the very highest. O take up this resolution, "I will wait upon the Lord, who hideth his face: I will look for him." Isa. 8:17.
*