Evening, October 9, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“But he did not answer her a word.” — Matthew 15:23

Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the request, may take comfort from the story before us. The Savior 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 did not answer her 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 intensely enough? 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 your 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 Savior is a terrible trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the affliction of a harsh, cutting reply such as this, ” It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Many in waiting upon the Lord find immediate joy, 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 you, or even slay you, trust him; though he only should give you an angry word, believe in the love of his heart. Do not, I beseech you, give up seeking or trusting my Master, because you have not yet obtained the conscious joy which you long for. Cast yourself on him, persevere, and depend on him even where you can not rejoice and hope.