Jesus Heals a Mother's Heart

Mark 7:24-30

I am sure I am not the only one to read this passage and rub her head in wonder. What...? This is a familiar section of Scripture, but not one easily understood. While I read this many times before, I never took the time or effort to glean its meaning. My curiosity took me deeper in the Word. I assume when a story is told in more than one of the Gospels, there is a very important message here, and this same story can be found in Matthew 15:21-28.

Let's pretend we are sitting in our small group, preparing for some great discussion. Several points I never thought of before, or understood from these verses, are becoming clear. First, we know from past readings that Jesus' popularity grew because of the healings and exorcisms he performed. Wherever they went, Jesus and the Disciples had a huge following. So large, the crowds teetered on the edge of being a mob.

In this passage some historians believe Jesus wanted some rest, and one-on-one time with His Apostles. He still needed to teach them much, and time was running out. It is understandable when the Syrophoenician woman begged Jesus to heal her daughter, He hesitated for a moment, saying, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." (Matthew 15:24)

This worried mother, a powerful woman, a member of Greek speaking ruling class of Phoenicia, brought her breaking heart to Jesus' feet. Desperate for her child to be healed, she humbled herself and came to a Jewish prophet for help. This step revealed her belief in Jesus. Often, Jesus ministered to Gentiles who exhibited such faith.

Discuss

1. How/why to be prepared to desert your plans to accommodate someone’s needs.

2. How/why did Jesus change His plans this day and what were the results?

3. Consider how this lesson could impact lives, yours included.

Stories of Hope

Mark 2:12 (NIV)
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" 

There is nothing more apt to make a believer out of people than a miraculous healing. Some of us have experienced the astounding cure of a loved one who we were sure was nearing their last breath. God stepped in and changed everything! Why? Because He can and He wanted to and maybe He was asked to intervene.

Or, those near death experiences we've all had, some more stunning that others, but each one a testimony to the amazing grace and goodness of our God. During circumstances like these, we feel a close connection to the One who is able to do 'exceedingly more than we ask or imagine'. (Ephesians 3:20)

How many times have you heard someone say, "I've never seen anything like this?" I heard a story the other day of an older woman driving in the country by herself when she lost control of her vehicle. The dreary, rainy day kept many off the roads so no one witnessed it when her car plummeted 50 feet down an embankment.

Careening down the muddy hillside, the car tore through trees and shrubs, landing on the driver side, tight against the trees. As strange as it sounds, the airbags never deployed, and the woman was able to crawl to the passenger door and exit the car.

She survived only bruised and shaken up. The incredible part of this story is how she climbed up the 50-foot mud-covered hill, all by herself. She had her purse and umbrella in one hand and she tells how she got to the top and realized someone had a hold of her free arm and was escorting her to safety. She knows it was an angel.

The Guardian Angel and this testimony point to the hope we have because of Jesus and His amazing love for us.

Mark 2:1-12