By Ken G. Cooper
Matthew 15:21-28
My child is
ill, what can I do
Physicians fail
and I feel lost.
My heart is
heaving, her eyes sad,
In motherhood
there is such cost.
I reach out
deep in prayer to God
To guide my
frightened thought to peace:
“A man called Jesus he is near
With him you will find sure release.”
I want to bring
my child with me
But she’s too
ill to leave her bed:
A dear friend
says that she will stay,
To “Go find
Jesus, heal your dread”.
So God did
guide my way to him.
For Jesus stood
out from this crowd,
I thanked my
God, and took this risk:
A gentile woman
shouting loud!
“Have mercy on
me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.”
I know he heard my frantic plea,
But he did not respond at all!
His disciples were no better,
Were annoyed by my constant call!
They sought the Lord to send me back,
They just did not want to know,
My urging and request he knew,
His message seemed that I should go!
“I am not sent but
unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
A
cold rebuff, was this a test?
My
need was great, he must sure see!
I
went up close and begged again,
With
tears I cried “Oh Lord help me!”
“It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast
it to dogs.”
I
heard his words, yet felt his love,
And
list’ning, love did guide my thought:
The
challenge still to try me more:
So! strong determination fought!
“Truth,
Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.”
“O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou
wilt.”
And with his love I knew right then
That
just one crumb of Truth does heal;
That
what he spake came straight from God!
Her
devil’s illness never real!
When I returned, my home in sight,
My daughter ran and fast met me!
In love we cuddled Oh so tight!
In Love, lives changed completely.
