MARK 7: 24-30

When she heard of Jesus, this Syrophoenician, a Greek lady from outside the commonwealth of Israel, came to find Him. She came because she passionately believed he could exorcise the unclean spirit that had possessed her daughter. Scriptures inform us that “… Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Here, Mark declares “… She heard of him, and she came and fell at his feet” (v 25). However, when she came, she soon realized that receiving a miracle was not as easy as she may have been led to believe but she resolutely persevered against all odds.

She heard about Jesus and immediately it seemed like inconvincible, unbending faith sprang up in her. Hearing about Jesus is an indisputable faith builder. Faith makes you come humbly and boldly. Faith is not passive. Faith makes you get up. Faith makes you spiritually aggressive. Faith pushes back against fear. Faith stabilizes the soul. When fear seeks to overwhelm you and wants you to give up and sink in despair, faith fights back.

In fact, just by coming to Jesus, this woman was standing in defiance against the unclean powers of darkness that had so invaded her precious daughter’s life. Faith made her overcome the obstacles to come plead the case for her daughter’s deliverance. This woman so skillfully pleaded her case and stood her ground that she earned the distinguished commendation from Jesus “… O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt…” (Matt. 15:28). She was so inflexible in her mission of faith that it really seemed like no demon in hell could deter or distract her.

Mark states “… she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter” (v. 26). “Besought” is written in the Greek imperfect tense meaning that she kept on begging and begging and we must also keenly note that Jesus kept on listening and listening. Not only did she intercede on behalf of her daughter, but the gospel writer Matthew enlightens us that when she felt unheard, slighted, insulted, and disparaged, instead of flinching and walking away discouraged and deflated she became more intense, she worshipped.

The passage culminates with this woman from the outside, this woman from pagan surroundings not receiving the crumbs that fall from the master’s table but the actual children’s bread (v28). Somehow, she refused to be dismissed or to take no for an answer based on race, nationality, or religion. She kept standing there. Like her, we refuse to be dismissed without our miracle granted! Let nothing be allowed to stop you! The miracle is worth fighting for!