Evening, October 9
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Matthew 15:23
"But he answered her not a word."
Matthew 15:23
Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing, may take
comfort from the story before us. The Saviour did not at once bestow
the blessing, even though the woman had great faith in him. He intended
to give it, but he waited awhile. "He answered her not a word." Were
not her prayers good? Never better in the world. Was not her case
needy? Sorrowfully needy. Did she not feel her need sufficiently? She
felt it overwhelmingly. Was she not earnest enough? She was intensely
so. Had she no faith? She had such a high degree of it that even Jesus
wondered, and said, "O woman, great is thy faith." See then, although
it is true that faith brings peace, yet it does not always bring it
instantaneously. There may be certain reasons calling for the trial of
faith, rather than the reward of faith. Genuine faith may be in the
soul like a hidden seed, but as yet it may not have budded and
blossomed into joy and peace. A painful silence from the Saviour is the
grievous trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the
affliction of a harsh cutting reply such as this, "It is not meet to
take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Many in waiting
upon the Lord find immediate delight, but this is not the case with
all. Some, like the jailer, are in a moment turned from darkness to
light, but others are plants of slower growth. A deeper sense of sin
may be given to you instead of a sense of pardon, and in such a case
you will have need of patience to bear the heavy blow. Ah! poor heart,
though Christ beat and bruise thee, or even slay thee, trust him;
though he should give thee an angry word, believe in the love of his
heart. Do not, I beseech thee, give up seeking or trusting my Master,
because thou hast not yet obtained the conscious joy which thou longest
for. Cast thyself on him, and perseveringly depend even where thou
canst not rejoicingly hope.