About Faith Mark 7:24-30

Lately we have been talking about faith, what faith is and how it operates within lives.
If I asked you to close your eyes and picture the Jesus we have faith in, I wonder what image you would come up with. Do you have a domesticated view, childrenʼs book version of Jesus? Or perhaps a Jesus who gets annoyed with the stupidity of the disciples, becomes overwhelmed by the burden he is called to bear, and even gets tired and needs rest. A Jesus who is both divine, who cares more about his creation that we could even know or under-stand, and yet a human Jesus, someone who experienced human needs and emotions, just like you and me.  We love the Jesus we read about in the earlier chapters of Mark and see painted on the cover of our childrenʼs Bible because this is the image of the Jesus who
gives the people what they want. And whether we are aware of it or not, we can start putting our faith in a divine Santa Claus rather than a merciful Saviour.  The Syrophoenician woman in our text gives us a strong example of active faith. Sheʼs not saying,“Lord, give me what I deserve on the basis of my goodness.  Sheʼs saying, “Give me what I donʼt deserve on the basis of your goodness.”  One message to glean from this passage – it is that faith is NOT about what Jesus does, but about who Jesus is. Faith is not about getting what we ask for, but getting the one we are asking. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.”

Pastor Darryl