God’s Help

The Law of God Vs The Love of God

By Apostle Felix

22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 
23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 
24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 
25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 
26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 
27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 
28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. 

Matthew 15: 22 – 28

Here is a Canaanite woman who came seeking help from Jesus for her daughter, whom the devils tormented. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and Jesus did not answer her. But his silence did not stop the woman from asking. She pressed on until Jesus responded to her; however, not a so-good response. Though He was God, Jesus had humbled Himself to be born as a man and subjected Himself to man’s conditions. He was born in an era that had forbidden any interaction with the Gentiles. As a man. Jesus was not permitted any dealings with the Gentiles. But nothing could stop the woman from insisting help from Jesus. Not even religion or her identity as a Gentile could stop her. For some reason, she saw past Jesus’ identity as a Jew and saw Him as God. God is not religious; neither is He partial. God is for all people, not only for one race.

25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3: 25 – 29

Faith in Christ is what makes all the difference in a person’s life. The woman’s faith in Christ defied all the religious and racial barriers that had been laid down for years. Jesus could not be limited by His humanity, but allowed His divinity to reach out to her and help her. Jesus commended the woman for her great faith. Great faith is believing that Jesus is the Son of God and in His finished work. Jesus identified only two people in His earthly ministry who He said had great faith: a Roman centurion and a Canaanite woman.

9  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Matthew 8: 9, 10

Great faith is independent of the law and is solely trusted in Jesus’ finished work. Both the centurion and the Canaanite woman were Gentiles, who did not live under the law. Their confidence in God had nothing at all to do with their own performance or lifestyle. They understood something that the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Jewish nation could not see or comprehend, that God was a good God. The law has a way of making one focus more on one’s good works and overlook God’s goodness. Those who rely on their efforts to please God normally want to assist God. This is when you hear people say, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ If you can help yourself, then you do not need God. God is not interested in the 50-50 affair of work distribution between God and man. The moment it becomes 50-50, then it will no longer be grace. If it cannot be grace, then it will no longer be faith but human effort. God’s help is all by grace, the work of God. Come to God with absolute surrender to Him. He does not need your help, but all He needs from you is faith in Him. God is your helper. Trust in His ability to help you.