Leviticus 15, Matthew 15, 1 Timothy 5
When I was being called to preach, I did not want to be a preacher. I looked for loopholes. I found many reasons to disqualify myself and I told God about those. They were, what seemed to me, insurmountable obstacles. Obviously, God thought I was making mountains out of molehills. He said, through scripture and prayer, something like what he said to Paul, my strength is made perfect in weakness. I answered the call and have never been more fulfilled than I am as a pastor. At the time, this was a real spiritual struggle for me. My reasons for not answering were real obstacles.
I believe some people have real obstacles to coming to faith too. For the rich young ruler it was his wealth. Jesus told him to sell everything he had and follow him. Jesus didn’t tell everyone he encountered to sell everything they had, give their money to the poor, and follow him. It was too great an obstacle for the rich young ruler. He went away sad.
In Matthew 15, Jesus meets a Canaanite woman who has a demon-possessed daughter. She comes to Jesus for healing. Jesus says some things to her that seem callous. “I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel.” And when she persisted and came kneeling before him, he replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Matthew15:26NIV I believe this was Jesus highlighting this woman’s obstacle to faith. Maybe she hated Israelites… maybe she felt like Canaanites were superior to Israelites. Scripture isn’t specific so we can only imagine. No one else in the gospels was called a dog when asking for help.
The Canaanite woman overcame her obstacle to faith. She replied to the insinuation that she was a dog with, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” She affirmed Jesus as her master and was begging for even the crumbs. She passed the test! Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Matthew15:28NIV
It is not the Spirit of God that gives us obstacles to faith and doing the will of God. It is the Spirit of God that helps us to realize, with God all things are possible. What has the devil convinced you is an obstacle to faith or in doing the will of God?
Prayer:
Father, thank you that all things are possible in you! Thank you for making your strength perfect in our weaknesses. Help me to recognize the devils temptation to set up obstacles to faith in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thinking About and Being a Child of God 