'Lord, help me'

And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. – Matthew 15.27-28

I have always been a bit intrigued by the story of the Canaanite woman who seemingly pestered Jesus till He answered her prayer. Despite Jesus’ initial reluctance to hear her and the disciples wanting to send her away she just kept asking and worshiping and praying. When she first asked Jesus told her that He only came to take care of the Jews. He even told that it was not right to take the children’s food and give it to the dogs. She replied by saying, ‘Yes Lord, even the dogs get the crumbs that fall from the table.’

Jesus blessed her persistent faith. After all that Jesus said, ‘O woman great is your faith; you will get what you want.’

Despite the oppositions and objections thrown up to her the woman gives us a great example of persistence in prayer. She had a need, it was desperate. Her daughter was demon possessed. All she knew was that Jesus could answer her prayers and meet her need. Her prayer was simple – ‘Lord help me.’

So she prayed. And she prayed. And she prayed.

Little did she know that it was a test of her faith. It was always God’s will to heal her; that is obvious because He did. She did not persuade Jesus to change His mind. She just persisted.

When we have needs we don’t know God’s will in resolving it. Our prayer may do us more harm than good. Our specific prayer may not be God’s way. When she asked for help she first explained that her daughter was possessed by a demon, but when she prayed she simply said ‘Lord, help me.’

This is a helpful attitude toward prayer. Lay out the need, and then simple ask the Lord to help in the way that He knows best.

Then ask, and ask, and ask. Don’t let the faith demonstrated by prayer fall short.