Pursuing God
by Patricia Lake
God takes notice of all those who avidly pursue Him and who cling to Him.
When she heard that Jesus was in the area of Tyre and Sidon, the Canaanite woman knew that there was no time to waste. Her daughter was under the influence of a demon and only Jesus could help (Matthew 15:21-28).
On her initial approach to Him, His response could have been off putting. Not because He didn’t care, but He was fully aware that His focus and calling was to the House of Israel (verse 24).
However, although she knew she didn’t qualify to ask for His help as an outsider, that didn’t put her off! This was no time for her to take offence. Her need was urgent, and she wasn’t letting go until she got the help she needed.
Her tenacity reminds me of today’s scripture in the life of Jacob, who wrestled all night with God and declared, “I will not let you go unless you bless me”.
Sometimes we have to press into God and wrestle in prayer, no matter what. Jacob wanted the blessing of God. This woman wanted deliverance and healing for her daughter and wasn’t about to be put off. As far as she was concerned, this was the moment she had been waiting for, and she didn’t know whether He would pass this way again.
Jesus couldn’t fail to be impressed with her faith.“Oh woman great is your faith, Let it be to you as you desire” (verse 28). Her persistence was rewarded.
Whenever we take a step towards God and then cling to Him, He notices, and new doors and avenues of blessing are opened up to us which we couldn’t even have imagined. “Eye has not seen, neither ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Whatever your circumstance today, now is the time to take hold of Jesus and don’t let go. Your breakthrough is imminent!
Patricia Lake is now Ellel’s Representative in Curacao, in the Dutch West Indies, where she is now living, having served with Ellel Ministries as Peter Horrobin’s Secretary for almost 20 years. Prior to that she was in ministry in her local Pentecostal church in Birmingham, before feeling the call of God to serve in the healing and deliverance ministry at Ellel Grange in the northwest of England.
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