06/08/2024
This morning we study the story of the Canaanite woman who pursued Jesus, asking him to cure her daughter who was vexed by a devil. She knew that she wasn't a Jew, and thus unworthy of His attention, but she persisted in her worship of Jesus until He saw the faith she had in Him and granted her request.
“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”
Matthew 15:25-28 KJV
Do you ever feel this way when you approach Jesus? Do you find yourself feeling unworthy as you pray? Do you ask yourself why the God of all creation would not only take an interest in your request, but actually grant it? It is easy to feel inadequate when faced with such magnificence, but God views you as worthy of His attention... So much so that He sent His only begotten Son to suffer, die, be resurrected, and to ultimately defeat sin and death for you.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 KJV
It is interesting to me that as I read scripture, I don't see where it states that I deserve the attention and love of God... Nowhere do I see that I deserve His love or the crucifixion of His Son... No, it is a gift; a love so great that I can only return it in the human measure I am capable of. But He loves me none the less, and my worthiness is beyond measure because he says it is.
“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 KJV
So I am unworthy in all the obvious ways except one... God says I am worthy. Isn't that wonderful? Our prayers are heard and our desires met because He wishes it, not because we deserve it. The only condition is that we believe and have faith in Him. Grace.
Considering all of this, I have faith and know He is there. I can rest in the fact that He wishes to speak with me. I can ask forgiveness of my sins and know that He has made provision for me through His son. I can enter into prayer with the assurance He will answer, and most of all I am confident in my worthiness to approach Him because He says I am worthy and that He loves me.
When we feel inadequate and hesitant about bringing our trouble or failing before God, just remember that He doesn't love you in your strength, He loves you in spite of how great you think you are; He loves you in your weakness. Being humble before God doesn't require a great deal, we only need to recognize that we are nothing without Him. When we come to realize that then being humble is easy.
God wants to hear your prayer and He wants to provide for you... The problem, or need for forgiveness, that you bring to him in prayer isn't a bother; it's a spark that ignites the light of His love for us. Nothing you confess to Him will be a shock... He was there when you were doing whatever it was, and He has been waiting for your contrition ever since.
This morning as we begin to pray, let's humble ourselves before Him and ask for His forgiveness. Let's bring out all of our dirty laundry that we stuffed under the bed hoping He wouldn't see it, and wash it in Christ once and for all. Then let's ask him daily for help with the troubles we face.
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:14 KJV
You are worthy because He says you are. You are righteous because of the blood of Jesus, and although Satan would like for you to feel that God wouldn't waste His time on someone like you... That couldn't be further from the truth. Remember this...
"Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”
Matthew 15:28 KJV
Prayer:
Father, thank you looking at me in all my sin and seeing me as being worth saving. Thank you for hearing me confess all the filthy sins I have committed and still find me worthy of your forgiveness. Father, thank you for loving me as you do despite my sense of unworthiness, and I ask that you help me to be strong in my belief, to love you as you love me, to humbly seek your forgiveness, and to sin no more. In all of this I am asking for your grace and mercy... knowing your promise, and that you desire to heal me of every sin that the world has tempted me with, and that I have succumb to. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is worthy beyond measure, and who somehow finds me, a sinner, to be worthy of your attention, and the life that is in your Son Jesus. You have overcome the world, and you have overcome the world in me. You are worthy, and in Jesus you have made me worthy as well. I am nothing without you, and everything in your arms. Praised be your name Lord, and by forgiving me, and pronouncing me worthy, I pray that all glory be yours now, and forevermore. Holy are you for the love you give me, and the newfound righteousness I discover in Christ each day.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, and Amen!
Rich Forbes