Thirteenth Pentecost, Proper 15, 2005:

Joe found himself in dire straights.  His business had gone bust and he was in serious financial trouble.  He got so desperate that he decided to talk to God about it and ask for help.

“God,” he began, “Please help me.  I’ve lost my business and if I don’t get some money soon, I’m going to lose my house as well.  Please let me win the Powerball this Saturday.”

Saturday came and went.  Someone else had won.  Joe again prayed, “God, please let me win the next lottery drawing.  I’ve lost my business, my house, and I’m going to lose my car as well.”

The next lottery drawing came and again Joe had no luck.  Again Joe prayed, “God, why have you forgotten me?  I’ve lost my business, my house, my car.  My wife and children have gone to live with relatives.  I don’t often ask for help and I have always been a good servant of yours.  PLEASE, just let me win the lottery one time so I can get my life back in order.”

Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light as the heavens opened and Joe was confronted by the voice of God.

“Joe, meet me halfway on this.  Buy a ticket!”

Apparently, our friend Joe viewed prayer as magic.  Saying the right words, in some prescribed formula, might lead to the desired results.  Prayer, when seen in the proper context, is simply need finding a voice, embarrassment finding relief, a wondering soul finding a wonderful counselor, and a vital relationship that exalts in each others presences.  Have you ever thought of prayer that way?  God delights when a child snuggles up close and whispers in His ear; just as God whispers in our ear words of comfort and encouragement. Prayer is our way of abiding, “tabernacling,” with God and resting in God’s blessing.  It is not merely something we do in the morning, at mealtime, in the evening, or just at church.  It is a reflection of the attitude we have toward God.  Prayers of praise, of confession, of petition, and of intercession reflect our attitude.

The Gospel for today tells the story of the prayer of a Canaanite woman.  It is a prayer of petition and intercession.  Her daughter was sick and her prayer revealed both her need and her faith.  He needed help and she believed this Jewish rabbi named Jesus could provide that help. 

Notice first that the woman had to endure the silent Jesus.  It was not that he was being cruel or unkind with this silence.  This was a teaching moment for the woman who asked for his help, but it was also a teaching moment for the disciples who were watching him closely.  In this exchange we see the Lord of this life and the life that is to come not taking spiritual shortcuts, not that he couldn’t have done so, but because it was crucial for this woman to state her case.

Because Jesus reacted the way he did, here we have an example of someone who exercised one of the great freedoms of being a legitimate human being.  She exercised the freedom to take a stand toward her condition.  Jesus treated her with silence; she kept pleading her case.  She kept asking; making a spectacle of herself, the Lord, and the disciples watching closely.  Jesus mildly rebuffed her; she asked for his help again.  He states the prevailing prejudice that she and her people were no better than dogs; she accepted it.  She asked only for the privilege shown a household pet; her persistence paid off.

Now, I want to say as clearly as possible that my theology is such that God did not cause the daughter’s sickness.  Jesus did not inflict suffering on an innocent child in order to teach a lesson.  It is important that we see the redemption here.  Jesus does not cause pain, but pain can be redeemed.  God in Christ does not cause death, but death can be redeemed.  Jesus the Christ does not cause a horrible accident, but such horrible things can be redeemed.  Please don’t ever attempt to comfort someone who has suffered a terrible loss, for whatever reason, by saying, “Well, it must be God’s will.”  Or, “God loved them more and needed them to be with him.”  If we cannot accept the randomness of creation and the fact that bad things do happen to good people, then just don’t say anything.  Just go and put your arm around that person and God will redeem it through prayer and presence.

So, what does this miracle mean?  By healing the daughter of a Canaanite woman Jesus revealed himself as the Messiah, the Son of David, and the Son of God.  That’s what she believed about him, that’s what her faith had led her to hold on to.  That’s why she had come to him and doubts or what others might say could not shake her faith.

Prayer needs persistence.  Prayer needs practice.  It must become as natural as breathing.  If it is something we do only when problems arise or just when something wonderful happens, we are not getting the full benefit from a crucial relationship.

From a Canaanite woman we may gain some things for our own spiritual journey.  She had faith.  She called him “Son of David,” she moved on in faith to call him “Lord.”  That is precisely what Jesus wanted to awaken in her.  He wanted her to see that a request to a great man must be turned into a prayer to the living God.  We must see the same thing.

She worshiped him.  She began just by following; she ended on her knees.  She began with a request; she ended in prayer.  From a Canaanite woman we learn that whenever we come to God in Christ, we must first come with adoration of his majesty, only then can we state our need.

She had the gift of cheerfulness.  She was in the midst of trouble; she was passionate in her request.  She didn’t attempt subtlety or diplomacy.  No, “Lord, if you don’t mind,” or, “Jesus, if it’s not too much trouble.”  And yet, in the midst of all that, she could smile.  She had found a great secret in life. Would that more Christians might find it.  I believe God love the cheerful faith, the faith in whose eyes there is always a twinkle, the “Momma Louise” faith, the faith that can bring light to a room of gloom.

A Canaanite woman brought her need to Jesus.  With an unshakeable love for a daughter in need, a woman prayed.  Human need found a voice, guilt found absolution, a wondering soul found a wonderful counselor, and a relationship was formed and the presence of God was made manifest.

We, like the Canaanite woman, have already hit something far greater than the Powerball.  We have prayer and didn’t even have to buy a ticket.  Amen.