The late Reverend James Cleveland penned a hit song entitled “Lord Do It.” A portion of the lyrics are “. . . Lord do it for me, right now . . . .” What is it that you need the Lord to do for you right now? Maybe you need the Lord: to repair a broken marriage, to resolve a financial crisis, or receive Divine guidance for a life changing decision; and your faith isn’t where it needs to be. The apostle Matthew provides us with some help with that issue today by telling us about a Canaanite woman who was resolved in her faith to obtain Divine intervention for her crisis. He reveals to us that there exists a direct correlation between a Divine response from God and great faith in our passage under consideration. Our Scripture passage today focuses our attention to three such marks of great faith.

The first mark of great faith is that it’s a determined faith, Matthew 15:21-23. Matthew records how resolute a Canaanite woman was in obtaining help for her demonized daughter. This woman understood that her problem was beyond her ability as a caring mother to resolve. Her issue required Divine intervention. Upon obtaining information that Jesus was visiting her region she quickly sought him out. Mark records in his account that Jesus entered the region and tried to take shelter in an undisclosed home (Mark 7:24), but some how this woman found him and unrelentingly pressed him for help; Jesus initially ignores her plea. However, she remained persistent in her faith to secure Jesus involvement, so much so, that his disciples even encouraged him to help or send her away. In the movie “Pursuit of Happyness,” actor Will Smith plays a true story character that was relentless in his cause to secure the American dream: “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as written in the United States Declaration of Independence as an inalienable right as a citizen of this great country. Just like this Canaanite woman we must not waiver in our faith in God. Matthew highlights another mark of great faith as seen in this gentile woman.

Second, it’s a diligent faith, Matthew 15:22-27. Was Jesus being insensitive or offensive to this desperate Canaanite woman in his response when he referred to her as a dog? No he wasn’t, even though Jews in the first century did refer to gentiles as dogs. Jesus is not being derogatory, but he’s responding in an illustrative story fashion, which the Canaanite woman also uses to her advantage to reinforce her position for Divine intervention that moves Jesus to praise her for her great display of tenacity and faith. She is determined not to be denied like Jacob who declared that he would not let the angel go until he blessed him. Therefore, his all night wrestling match with the angel ended in his receipt of a blessing¾a name change from Jacob (trickster) to Israel (he who struggles with God; Genesis 32:24-31). Again, we are to stand firm in our faith as we wait on God to meet our needs. God invites us to come boldly before the throne of grace that we may find help and strength in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Finally, Matthew sites the third mark of great faith.

It’s a distinguished faith, Matthew 15:28. Jesus is moved deeply by the Canaanite woman’s great faith and grants her plea. This incident marks a second time that Jesus is astonished by the great faith of a gentile. The first encompassed a Roman Centurion’s faith regarding the healing of his servant by Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13). The Roman Centurion told Jesus just to speak the word of healing for his presence would not be required because he understood Jesus’ authority over sickness and disease. The Centurion was also a man of authority as a military commander with men under his charge. Jesus exclaimed! I haven’t seen this type of faith displayed amongst my own people, the Jews.