When God is Silent
“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” But Jesus did not answer her a word. Matthew 15:21-23b[1]
Silent and Distant
Every Christian experiences times when it is difficult to discern God’s will, activity, or presence. During these times, despite desperate and fervent prayers, we receive no guidance, help, or comfort. Instead we may experience confusion, frustration, and even pain. It feels as though our prayers have failed to reach God. And God is silent.
The Canaanite woman in Matthew’s narrative was desperate. Every parent who has seen their child suffering and dangerously ill knows the anguish this woman was experiencing.
This woman must have heard about Jesus. She must have heard how he had mercifully healed many people and delivered others from demonic oppression; and this “hearing” had turned to faith (Romans 10:9). As well as having faith, this woman truly knew who Jesus was: The Jewish Messiah, the “Son of David”.
This woman knew that Jesus could help her daughter. So, even though she was a Gentile (a non-Jew), she went to see Jesus and she begged him for mercy. But when she pleaded with Jesus to heal her daughter, he ignored her. Despite her persistent cries (which were annoying his disciples), Jesus said nothing, not a word. He was silent.
Trials and Tests
When we are at school or college, the teachers are there to instruct and equip us. Much of this instruction is done by speaking during lessons and lectures, and by asking and answering questions. But there comes a time when the teacher does not speak. There is a time when we cannot ask the teacher a question . . . during a test.
A teacher is silent during an examination, and we are required to solve problems and answer questions on our own. It is during a test that we are given the opportunity to show what we have learnt and prove ourselves.
Jesus was silent because this episode with the Gentile woman was a test. It was a test primarily for the disciples. Jesus wanted to see what his disciples had learnt from him and what they would do. I believe Jesus was testing their compassion and their understanding of the extent of God’s mercy and grace.
When Jesus did speak, he used the woman’s extraordinary faith, plus her gender and race, to demonstrate to his disciples that God’s mercy is available to everyone who calls on him! It is interesting to note that this narrative in Matthew 15:21-28 is the only record of Jesus travelling beyond the borders of Israel. Jesus demonstrated that God’s mercy extends beyond Israel and the Jews.
Jesus came to the woman’s region for a special reason: To see this woman and to deliver her daughter, and to test and teach the disciples.[2] Perhaps Jesus was also testing the woman’s faith. It is delightful to see that she was undeterred by both Jesus’ silence and his terse comments. Her faith was bold and tenacious, and she passed the test with flying colours! Jesus said of her:
“Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment (Matthew 15:28).
Testing and Perfecting
Like Jesus’ silence, God also seems to be distant and silent sometimes. God seemed distant and silent when Jesus Christ was going through his greatest test. When Jesus was suffering on the Cross, in the midst of profound agony, he called out, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Jesus felt abandoned and alone. Yet, despite feeling forsaken, he chose to be obedient to his Father. Jesus could have removed himself from the situation, but he chose to suffer and remain on the Cross and complete his mission. Jesus passed his test.
Though he was [God’s] Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. Hebrews 5:8
The Bible tells us that Jesus was perfected through his suffering (Hebrews 2:10). God’s purpose for us is that we become spiritually mature and perfected, and become like Jesus Christ. Spiritual maturity is often hastened by going through trials and tests.
Yet we are never really alone, even during our tests trials. Because Jesus suffered when he was tested, he is able to help us who are being tested – whether we are aware of his help or not (Hebrews 2:18).
Does God seem to be silent in your life at the moment? Is he silent in your church community?
My observation is that God seems to be a lot more “quiet” than usual in many Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches in the Western world. I believe this is because God is testing us. Will our devotion, faith, and service continue unabated? Will we do well in this test? Or will we lose interest or lose heart?
If God is not silent in your life and in your church, then make good use of this time to strengthen yourself in the Lord, because tests are coming.
Endnotes
[1] Matthew 15:21-28 continued:
So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Matthew 15:23-28 (cf. Mark 7:24-30)
[2] It is interesting to compare Jesus’ journey to Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21) with Jesus being compelled to travel through Samaria to speak to another unnamed woman: the Samaritan women at the well (John 4). Both journeys seem to have been for the purpose of a divine appointment with women to demonstrate that the Gospel was not just for respectable Jewish men. The Gospel and Grace of Jesus is for all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity or social class.
Culled from New Life.
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