Jesus does not give Himself out cheaply

Mat 15:21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 15:22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."
Mat 15:23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."
Mat 15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Mat 15:25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
Mat 15:26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."
Mat 15:27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
Mat 15:28 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.

We know we can never EARN God's grace and favor, but that does not mean that it is always easy to receive it. To EARN something implies that the price you pay makes you DESERVE what good thing you receive. God's blessings such as forgiveness, salvation and deliverance are SO GREAT and VALUABLE that no price we can pay makes us DESERVE them. And if we are proud enough to think that our sacrifices make us DESERVE God's favor, then God will resist that pride and frustrate us.

However, it is also true that at times we must "pay a price" to receive God's grace and favor. This is because Jesus does not give Himself out cheaply, to the casual and uncommitted. Many times when we come to Jesus for something, our commitment and our genuineness WILL BE TESTED. We may be tested through TROUBLE, HARDSHIP, DELAYS and by other means. We may feel that Jesus is ignoring us and favoring everyone BUT us. These are some of the barriers we must push through.

Consider for a moment this Syro-Phoenician woman. She recognises Jesus as the Messiah ("Son of David", she cries out). She calls out to Him in distress - not for her own direct need, but for the need of her daughter. This woman has strong maternal love. Yet, what is the response of Jesus? "He answered her not a word" (v23).

Have you ever been in pain, and cried out to Jesus for help, and sensed no response coming from Jesus? It sometimes happens. What do you do then? Do you give up in disgust? Do you complain? These would be the normal reactions.

But this woman is special. She just keeps on crying out to Jesus.

Jesus will not manifest his glory cheaply, casually. Almost everyone is sick with something or other these days, and how much more in the days Jesus walked on earth. Many were healed by Jesus, but many remained unhealed, such as the man healed at the temple gate through Peter and John in Acts 3. I wonder how many times Jesus had passed him by without healing him.

The woman keeps on crying

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