Great is Thy Faith.... | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Great is Thy Faith.... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
09/15/14
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Chara softly closed the door and took the key to her neighbor, Lucas.
“Please take care of Dorothea. I have fed her and given her the medicines. She is asleep now and I hope to be back before she awakens.”
“Don’t worry, Chara, I’ll take good care of her. I hope the preacher will be able to cure her. Take your time.”

Chara pulled her veil over her head and walked swiftly away. Apollonia, her friend, had said that Jesus was in the vicinity and her husband had invited him to their house that afternoon. She had heard about Jesus, the Jewish teacher, and how he had healed many people of sickness and had cast away demons. She had spent a lot of money on sorcerers and temple priests to no avail. Now she was taking all that was left, hoping to be able to pay Jesus for the cure.

She was a Canaanite and she knew that Jesus was a Jew. Ages ago the Jews had captured Canaan and enslaved its people. Naturally the Canaanites hated the Jews and the Jews despised them. Chara wondered if Jesus would decline to help her. However deep down in her heart she believed that Jesus was kind and compassionate. Even if He rejected her, He would have mercy on her helpless, suffering child. It was this faith that made her walk up to her friend’s house.

Chara saw the disciples and other men standing outside the house and knew that Jesus was inside. As she approached them, the men would not let her enter. Jesus was resting and not to be disturbed.
Chara raised her voice and called out, “Lord, Son of David, help me.”
They tried to silence her, but she only cried louder. The disciples asked Jesus to send her away. She knelt before Jesus and tearfully begged for help.
Jesus looked at her and said, “I was sent to the children of Israel. It is not right that I take the bread meant for the children and give it to dogs.”

Chara winced at the word ‘dogs’. It was the greatest of insults to be compared to a dog. But her desperate need was greater than any insult. She would fight for her child till the end.
“Dogs under the table, Oh, Master, may eat the scraps from the children’s plate. It is for those crumbs that I plead,” Chara cried.
Jesus was astonished.
“O, woman, great is thy faith,” He said.
At that moment when the unrelenting love of a mother converged with the unconditional grace of the Savior, a miraculous power was released. Across the town, in a locked hut, a young girl shackled by the forces of the demon was touched by that power and suddenly set free.
Jesus smiled at Chara and said, “Go thy way. The devil is gone out of thy daughter.” Falling at His feet, Chara, worshipped her Lord. Her soul was delighted and her step was light as raced home to her beloved child.

Scripture Reference:
Matthew 15:21-28
Mark 7:24-30
KJV

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