Spurgeon: October PM
* 10/09/PM
"But He answered her not a word."
--Matthew 15:23
Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing,
may take comfort from the story before us. The Saviour 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
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. A painful silence from the Saviour is the grievous trial
of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the affliction of a
harsh cutting reply such as this, "It is not meet to take the
children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Many in waiting upon
the Lord find immediate delight, 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 thee, or
even slay thee, trust Him; though He should give thee an angry
word, believe in the love of His heart. Do not, I beseech thee,
give up seeking or trusting my Master, because thou hast not yet
obtained the conscious joy which thou longest for. Cast thyself
on Him, and perseveringly depend even where thou canst not
rejoicingly hope.