CHRIST CAME FOR THE UNGODLY

Mark 7:25-26 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

If you really think about it, this verse is a prophetic glimpse into the future of the church. Jesus was called “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” but sometimes He couldn’t help Himself. He just had to reach out to the hurting that came to Him. He spent most of His time in Israel, this is one of the few occasions when He ventured to the edge of His homeland for rest and reflection. This desperate gentile woman was desperate for a miracle. She said all she needed was a crumb of children’s bread, just a crumb to set her daughter free. Like the Roman centurion, her faith caught the attention of The Lord. Her miracle could not be denied. Here are some thoughts by Matthew Henry on this passage.

“She was a Gentile, a Greek, an alien to the covenant of promise; she was by extraction a Syrophoenician, and not in any degree proselyted to the Jewish religion; she had a daughter, a young daughter, that was possessed with the devil. How many and grievous are the calamities that young children are subject to! Her address was, Very humble, pressing, and importunate; She heard of him, and came, and fell at his feet. Those that would obtain mercy from Christ, must throw themselves at his feet; must refer themselves to him, humble themselves before him, and give up themselves to be ruled by him. Christ never put any from him, that fell at his feet, which a poor trembling soul may do, that has not boldness and confidence to throw itself into his arms. It was very particular; she tells him what she wanted. Christ gave poor supplicants leave to be thus free with him; she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. The greatest blessing we can ask of Christ for our children is, that he would break the power of Satan, that is, the power of sin, in their souls; and particularly, that he would cast forth the unclean spirit, that they may be temples of the Holy Ghost, and he may dwell in them.”

Most of the church today is gentile. We were all godless pagans, without hope and without God. Like this Syro-Phoenician woman, Jesus just “happened” to come by her way. Because of His unexpected visit her life would never be the same. None of us had a claim on God, He came to us indiscriminately. He came into our lives and His kindness changed us forever. That’s why I say this miracle was prophetic, it was a glimpse into things to come. Maybe your past wasn’t so great, maybe you have no Christian heritage. That’s okay, Christ died to save sinners, He came for people like you and me.