A Dog for Jesus
By Timothy Lamb
Matthew 15: “But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and began to bow down
before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 And He answered and said, “It
is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27
But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which
fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman,
your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her
daughter was healed at once.”
I was making Scrambled eggs and cheese for brunch and as I was serving
it up my dog came and positioned herself strategically beneath the
pan, watching carefully for any mishaps. She doesn’t care that it
wasn’t made for her, she just knows it smells good and will take it
happily, even off the floor.
I know without a doubt that what the Lord serves is good. If He is
serving you a big plate of fresh blessings, I’m going to watch
closely, tail wagging, to see if any splatters off your plate so I can
lap it up. I find no shame in being the scrap vacuum at the Lord’s
Table. Even the aroma will keep me near and begging at His feet.
WOOF WOOF, here I am Lord! Spill some my way!
Heck, i f He holds it up and spins it around I’ll dance for Him or
roll over. I can’t imagine Him asking me to play dead but if He did I
know the smells from His feast would raise me. I hunger for whatever
He has because it’s good, so good.
And one of the things I like best about this story in Matthew 15 is
that the woman won’t be sent away. It’s not out of disobedience that
she continues to beg but out of a deep longing for what He has.
Because what He has is LIFE! Real, True, Holy, Righteous, Eternally
Abundant LIFE! And there’s no where else to get it and it is so
sweet and satisfying once you know it’s what you want you could never
take no for an answer.
“LORD, I’LL TAKE THE CRUST OFF THAT BLESSING, JUST DON’T SEND ME AWAY!”
The Lord will not deny a hungry, faithful, soul. For we are not dogs
at the table, but children by Faith and “joint heirs with Christ
Jesus” (Romans 8:17; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Peter 3:7) of all the Father has
on His table.
Luke 11: “9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek,
and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For
everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who
knocks, it will be opened. 11 Now suppose one of you fathers is asked
by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish,
will he? 12 Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a
scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
A final note on that passage in Matthew 15. The disciples were
treating the woman like a dog so Jesus made that reference to mock
them. But when He rewarded her for her faith by giving her what she
asked I can imagine the jaws dropping all around Him. A Gentile woman
finding favor with the Lord? What a moment in history!
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