You’ve Been Tagged!

In the Blogger world people will “tag” each other – just like when we played tag as children!
I know you’ve all played that game...
Sometimes I didn’t want to be tagged and I ran like crazy – other times I wanted to be tagged so I could get someone!

When a blogger “tags” someone they usually have a list of questions for them to answer and post on their blog:
then that person tags someone else!

I wasn’t tagged as such – however, I was reading a Christian site and she had been tagged with this “BOOK TAG”:

“open the book closest to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56.
Write the 5th sentence, as well as 2 to 5 sentences following that.”

Her Bible was sitting alongside her and she wrote down the Scripture she found on that particular page! And then wrote about it! “What a cool idea”, I thought!

I looked around me and saw 3 Bibles on the table next to my computer, but on the chair right next to me was a Bible Commentary... I began to reach for a Bible but said to myself,
“Now, why would you do that ...the Commentary is closer!”

Here is what I read on page 56, 5th sentence –
On her knees she pleaded, Lord help me!
This took me to Matthew 15:21-28:
The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

First – Have you ever been in this position?
On your knees, pleading with Him to help you?
I have in the past and I’m sure I will be in the future!
And – I KNOW He is there and will do what is best for me!
I pray you know this too!

Second - Please read Matthew 15:21-28 before you go on!
This morning I read the Word – then the Commentary... I knew He eventually healed this woman’s daughter but I never understood what verses 26 and 27 meant.

I am quoting now from The Bible Knowledge Commentary – Walvoord & Zuck:
“To get away from the questionings of the religious leaders, Jesus withdrew from Israel and went north into the region of Tyre and Sidon, the Gentile coastal region of Phoenicia. Tyre was 35 miles from Galilee and Sidon was 60. There He met a Canaanite woman. Centuries earlier that area’s inhabitants were called Canaanites. She pleaded with Him to have mercy on her demon-possessed daughter. She addressed Him as Lord, Son of David, a messianic title.
But even that appeal could not help her, for the timing was not appropriate.
When Jesus failed to answer her and she persisted with her appeal, the disciples urged Jesus to send her away. They seemed to be asking, “Lord, why don’t You go ahead and help this woman?
She isn’t going to give up until You do.”
Jesus reminded them, I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt.10:6).
He had come to offer to His own people the kingdom promised through David centuries before. Thus it was inappropriate for Him to bring blessings on Gentiles before blessings fell on Israel.
But the woman was not easily discouraged.
She saw in Jesus the only chance for help for her child. On her knees she pleaded, Lord, help me! Jesus reply caused her to realize her position, for He said it would not be right to take the children’s’ bread and toss it to their dogs.
He was picturing a family gathered at mealtime around a table, eating food provided by the head of the household.
The Gentile woman saw herself in this picture. She was not a child of the family (of Israel) eligible for the choicest morsels of food. But she saw herself as a household dog (a Gentile; the Jews often called gentiles “dogs”) eligible to receive crumbs that might fall from the master’s table.
She was not wanting to deprive Israel of God’s blessings. She was simply asking that some of the blessing be extended to her in her need.
In light of such great faith (Matt.8:10), the kind of faith Jesus was looking for in Israel, He granted her request.
Her daughter was healed...that very hour. This gentile woman’s faith contrasted with Israel’s leaders who were rejecting Jesus.

Oh Father God!
Thank You for Your blessing upon me!
Thank You for making it such that I never need to feel like a “dog”, or that I’m not worthy to ask for Your help!
Thank you for sending Your Son!
Thank You for the work of the Cross!
Increase my faith that You might say of me “because of her great faith......”!
Praise You, God!

Dear Friends...
May this be your prayer today!
May you know that He is ready to help when you ask!
Do you have a need today that you’ve been unable to fix?
Do you see in Him the only chance for help?
Is your faith sure?
Do you need more faith?
Ask Him!
Pour it out to Him and He will help you!
Praise God!

I trust this has blessed you today!
I’m tagging you now!
Pick up the book closest to you at this moment , go to page 56,
and write down the 5th sentence you find there.....
You never know how God will use that in your life today!
Or you may be surprised to realize which ‘book’ you’ve been spending a lot of time in!

Blessings of the Season to you!
Merry CHRIST-mas!
Ruthie