INTRODUCTION
Mark 7:24-30 recounts the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman (reproduced here from the New King James Version).

²⁴ From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. ²⁵For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. ²⁶The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  ²⁸And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”  ²⁹Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”  ³⁰And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Do you need a miracle from the Lord?  Then put your faith in him!  The story of the Syro-Phoenician woman is an encouragement to us that God responds to simple faith.  Two days ago, we saw that faith requires the humble realization of our need.  Yesterday, we saw that faith requires hearing.  To access past devotions, please CLICK HERE.  Today, we will look at a third aspect of faith revealed in the text.

POINT 3: FAITH REQUIRES PERSISTENCE
Thirdly, the Syro-Phoenician woman had an attitude of persistence.  She fell at the feet of Jesus in verse 25 and she begged him in verse 26.  Even when Jesus responded to her in verse 27 saying, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs,” she replied with a clever, thoughtful come-back to his statement.  She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”  The Syro-Phoenician woman had no right to demand the grace of God, so she simply threw herself on his mercy.  Jesus responded to the Syro-Phoenician woman by granting her the miracle that she sought.  The Lord responded to her persistence.  Sometimes we need to pursue our breakthrough with persistence and refuse to be denied.  As Hebrews 11:6 declares, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he [or she] who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  The Syro-Phoenician woman retained an attitude of humility before the Lord, but she was not going to leave his presence until she received the blessing that she needed.  I encourage you not to give up on your miracle.

Discussion Questions
Here are a few questions to help you and your loved ones explore today's topic in greater depth.

• What qualities of the Syro-Phoenician woman stand out to you the most in this passage? How do her persistence, faith, and humility impact your understanding of prayer and seeking God's blessings?
• Reflect on a time in your life when you've experienced rejection or delay in your prayers being answered. How did you respond to that situation? What lessons can you draw from the example of the Syro-Phoenician woman in dealing with setbacks in prayer?
• Hebrews 11:6 emphasizes the importance of faith and diligently seeking God. How does the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman exemplify this principle? How can we apply this principle in our own prayer life and pursuit of God's blessings?
• Discuss the significance of the woman's response to Jesus' statement about "the children's bread." What does her clever response reveal about her understanding of Jesus' authority and her unwavering faith in his ability to provide?
• How can we cultivate a similar attitude of persistence and humility in our own prayer life? What practical steps can we take to deepen our faith and trust in God's goodness, even when faced with challenges or delays in receiving answers to our prayers?
• Reflect on a time when you witnessed someone else's persistent faith in prayer. How did their example impact your own faith journey? How can we encourage and support one another in maintaining a posture of persistence and humility in our prayers?
• In what ways can we apply the lessons learned from the Syro-Phoenician woman's encounter with Jesus to our everyday lives? How can we incorporate principles of persistence, faith, and humility into our relationships, work, and community involvement?

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings,
Wilfred Graves Jr.
www.wilfredgraves.org