WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Whatever kind of week you have had, take a couple of minutes now to receive the love of God as you become still before him in silence.

Unfamiliar territory
I have done a lot of miles in my car this month for work. When Jesus and others moved on, they travelled by boat or on foot.

Today’s destination is the prosperous Roman city of Tyre on the coast. This is in Gentile land and Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there (v 24). It may be that they had come away to an unfamiliar place for a break.

Grace for all
The commentators suggest that the children are the Jews (v 27) and the dogs the Gentiles. So Jesus might be saying that the Gentiles will get God’s grace and mercy once the Jews have had their turn.

This is a worried woman talking to a Jewish man; she must feel that he might ignore her or despise her. And she answers back (v 28), or does she? Maybe she was simply telling the truth that she saw – that there was already grace for Gentiles (v 28). And that truth paid off.

Respond: Sometimes there are situations where Christians need to tell the truth, but might fear that it will be taken as backchat or be despised for it. Pray for Christians in their workplaces that God will give them the courage of the Syro-Phoenecian woman to tell the truth where it needs to be told.

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-08-03