LENT – WEEK 2 – TUESDAY

LESSON: COLOSSIANS 1:21-23

His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:23,24

When the cries and faith of the Canaanite woman prove fruitless, the disciples of Christ lodge an appeal on her behalf in the belief that they will certainly be heard. But when they suggest that Christ should become more lenient, He actually becomes harder and renders the faith and prayer of both parties ineffective—as it seems to their feelings. For he does not remain silent here and leave them in doubt; He declines their plea and declares, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

This rebuff is even more severe, for not only are our own persons rejected, but the only consolation still available to us is also cut off, namely, the consolation and intercession of godly and holy people on our behalf. For when we feel that God is no longer gracious to us, and we find ourselves entangled in a very distressing situation, it is our last resort to turn for counsel and help to godly men who are led by the Spirit of God. If these men are willing to do for us what love demands of them, but nothing comes of all their efforts, and they have not even been given a hearing, we really find ourselves in a worse plight than before their intervention on our behalf.

Even this rebuff did not weaken the faith of this Canaanite woman. She still believed and trusted in the good report she had heard of Christ.

SL.XI.547,5
AE 76,379-80

PRAYER: Your promises and assurance to us, O Lord, are true and steadfast. Grant us at all times such confidence in the declarations of your Gospel that we never waver in faith but ever stand fast in your grace, for Christ’s sake. Amen.