Pastor John's Blog Site

Have you ever thought of what silence sounds like?  Sad to say, we often don't know.  Our world is noisy.  Our lives are cluttered with sound.  Motors run, people talk and shout, the winds blow, critters make their noises, babies cry, clocks tick - noise is everywhere to be heard.  About the closest thing we come to silence is when the power goes out - and then we probably hear the rumble of thunder and the crack of lightening.

  But consider the blessing of silence.  In Matt. 15:21, Jesus took His disciples away from the crowd, away from the criticisms, away from the confusion as seen earlier in the chapter.  He leads the disciples to "the coasts of Tyre and Sidon" in the area of Phoenicia.  This is unusual as these were Jews, well into Gentile territory.  But it serves as a reminder to us of:

      John 1:11
     "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."
    

  The scribes and Pharisees were upset with Jesus and His disciples.  So Jesus took the disciples away and left SILENCE in the land.

 

  But there is also a blessing here in this silence in Israel and the Jews rejecting Him and His ministry.  Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy concerning Himself (Matt. 12:17-21).

 

  But then this woman came to Jesus asking for His help with her demon-possessed daughter in Matt. 15:22-23, and Jesus was silent.  Why this silence?

 

C.H. Spurgeon in his devotional Morning by Morning and Evening by Evening, shares:

 

"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."

                --computer Bible prog.

 

  But while Jesus is silent, His disciples are noisy.  "Send her away!"

 

  Jesus then broke His silence and notice the wonderful exchange

(Matt. 15:24-25).

 

  Let's not forget that God's silence does not mean a denial.  He is testing her faith as He often tests ours.  Do we ask in faith or just wanting satisfaction?  Are we looking to Him, or simply needing a crutch to help us stand?

 

  This woman "worshipped" and then cried for "help."  Jesus then reminded her of her distance as a Gentile ( Matt. 15:26 ).

 

  But His grace is still reaching out.  She wisely in faith responded (Matt. 15:27).

 

  How different this was from His teaching in Israel.  She was moved by faith, while the scribes and Pharisees were moved by facts.  Then our Lord commended her faith (Matt.15:28).

 

  Let's remember that God is still looking for faith in His followers.  Sometimes His silence is to strengthen our faith.

 

  God's timetable is not ours.  God's working is often different than we might desire.  God's answers may be on the way - some very quick, while others may be on a snail's back.  But patience when He seems silent is a necessity, and faith a requirement.

 

  Sometimes, He desires us also to:

      Ps. 46:10
     "Be still, and know that He is God." 
    

 

  Silence.  Hopefully we will experience as Thomas Hardy wrote of a character in his work: Under the Greenwood Tree:

 

"Silent?  Ah, he is silent?  He can keep silence well.
That man's silence is wonderful to listen to."

 

  Keep trusting and looking up!

 

Perhaps today! 
Love to you all,
Pastor John