Evening, October 9
Go To Morning Reading
“But he answered her not a word.”
Matthew 15:23
Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing, may take
comfort from the story before us. The Saviour did not at once bestow
the blessing, even though the woman had great faith in him. He intended
to give it, but he waited awhile. “He answered her not a word.” Were not her prayers good? Never better in the world. Was not her
case needy? Sorrowfully needy. Did she not feel her need sufficiently? She felt it overwhelmingly. Was she not earnest
enough? She was intensely so. Had she no faith? She had such a high
degree of it that even Jesus wondered, and said, “O woman, great is thy faith.” See then, although it is true that faith brings peace, yet it does
not always bring it instantaneously. There may be certain reasons
calling for the trial of faith, rather than the reward of faith. Genuine
faith may be in the soul like a hidden seed, but as yet it may not
have budded and blossomed into joy and peace. A painful silence from
the Saviour is the grievous trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier
still is the affliction of a harsh cutting reply such as this, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” Many in waiting upon the Lord find immediate delight, but this is
not the case with all. Some, like the jailer, are in a moment turned
from darkness to light, but others are plants of slower growth. A
deeper sense of sin may be given to you instead of a sense of pardon,
and in such a case you will have need of patience to bear the heavy
blow. Ah! poor heart, though Christ beat and bruise thee, or even
slay thee, trust him; though he should give thee an angry word, believe
in the love of his heart. Do not, I beseech thee, give up seeking
or trusting my Master, because thou hast not yet obtained the conscious
joy which thou longest for. Cast thyself on him, and perseveringly
depend even where thou canst not rejoicingly hope.