“But He did not answer her with even a word. And His disciples came up and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us!”  But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:23-24).

There are people who annoy us.  But sometimes, even though annoying, they are the ones the Lord knows we must minister to or be ministered by.  Do not just look on the outside, but to the inside to see another brother or sister when they come to you.  Jesus came for the lost sheep.  The name Israel means “God prevails.”  All who know the Lord God who prevails are amongst the sheep.  Jesus has come for all who will believe. 

Father in heaven, it is not that You are tricky or not completely revealing to us the truth, but that our hearts are often selfish and thinking only in terms of our group.  You love us all and those who come to You in faith remain amongst the lost, no matter their earthly heritage.  Lead me out of the exclusive thinking that happens in this age to see that there are from around the world those whom You have called to come through faith to You.

Lord Jesus, You have called me to walk in the goodness of the Father’s mercy to be conformed to Your image.  Guide me this day to live into the hope and promise that You give me by grace.  Others may come, even insistently, so help me to receive all who come in faith and minister to others as You have ministered to me.  Lead me in the upward call You have set before me to love others as You love me.  Amen.

“Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely demon-possessed” (Matthew 15:21-22).

From all over the world, there are those who are spiritually awake.  She was a gentile, but she knew that it was demons who controlled her daughter.  In our day, so many are asleep that they have no clue that the demons are still pestering.  Faith is a gift that God gives. He is no respecter of persons and gives faith to whom He will.  Only the arrogant think themselves special.

Almighty Father, I do recognize the arrogance in myself and  others of thinking that we are special.  You sent Your Son for the whole world.  From the inside, strip away all arrogance that I might learn to rejoice when I encounter another with faith and pray for those without faith.  Grant fortitude to stand firm in the truth You have revealed so that I may live into the life to which You have called me.

Lord Jesus, You know my heart.  You know the desire of my heart that is buried under all of the garbage of this world.  Teach me to live according to Your goodness and mercy so that I may humbly walk where You lead, loving all others as I meet them, and see the world with a pure heart.  Guide me, Lord, in the way You know I need to go and grant that I would have a renewed heart to follow where You lead.  Amen.

“But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements.  These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person” (Matthew 15:18-20).

What people see on the outside does not reveal what is on the inside.  Jesus, who knows our heart, knows the corrupt thoughts we have. He has come to kill the old Adam and raise us to new lives where what we say and who we are can be the same thing.  The Lord will remove the evil in us so that we can love our neighbor – all of them – equally and wholly.  He has come to make us holy even as He is holy.

Lord, there are many thoughts that cross my mind about other people.  Lead me away from the selfish thoughts in my mind so that I live free of the bondage of hatred and self-serving.  Many will look to their ceremonies and services as a means of cleansing the outside and appearance, but You desire for us to be clean from the inside out.  Let me not fall off the path of cleansing upon which You have set me.

Lord Jesus, You know these things and they are true of us all.  Grant humility so that I stop the pretense that goes on every day.  Lead me in the goodness of Your mercy to work on the inner thoughts that only You know about.  Help me clean them up so that I live into a life that is like Yours.  Continuously bring me to the place where I learn to love others as You love me.  Amen.

“Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”  Jesus said, “Are you also still lacking in understanding?  Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?” (Matthew 15:15-16)

The things of this world may have been corrupted by sin, but they shall pass away.  What you eat may be of use for a little while, but it shall pass.  Do not be caught up in the way of the world but live in the truth of eternity.  Looking to the Lord for all things – literally all things – is the goal of what seeing the truth shows you.  Look beyond the momentary things that hinder you to see that in the Lord there is eternal life.

St .Paul said it: “to live is You and to die is gain.”  It is not that I do not live my daily life, but that I should not worry about my place in this world.  You have come to lead me through the shadows of this age to come into the true light, which is You.  Guide me, Lord Jesus, to humbly walk in the words of eternal life that You have given me.  Help me to see the passing things of this age and to let these temporary things go.

Come, Holy Spirit, and minister to my heart.  You know where there are needless things to which I am clinging.  You know where I am hindered and do not walk by the faith You have given me.  Teach me to live humbly in the truth of Your presence.  Guide me in the way where I will become more like Christ.  Lift me out of the pit of darkness to stand in the light of truth.  Help me to live into the promise You have given me.  Amen.

“Leave them alone; they are blind guides of blind people. And if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14).

The one who has been given sight should look and truly see.  The Lord has come that we may have sight, for in Him, there is light and life.  He is the Light and He gives life.  But there are those who think they know better.  In their arrogance they speak words that entice the people of this age away from the truth.  Do not be led astray by smooth words.  Hear and understand the word of the Lord and live into the life He gives through faith.

Lord, I have heard many words that tickle my fancy.  Your word is forever, for You have spoken the words of eternal life.  Lead me away from the blind guides in this world, to hearing You where Your word is spoken, in order that I may grow ever more deeply in the truth You have revealed.  Let me see, if only a few steps at a time, the path You have set before me so that I may not fall into the pit.

Lord Jesus, so many complain against the truths You have spoken.  Humble me so that I see more clearly those places where I rebel against You.  Guide me to hope in You alone.  Lead me to follow where You go so that I may be conformed to You.  Through all that comes in this life let me neither listen to, nor be, a blind guide, but one whose hope is always in the truth that You alone save.  Amen.

“Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”  But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted” (Matthew 15:12-13).

The Lord God Almighty, Creator of all things has planted what He has planted.  Whatever the wicked one does will come to naught.  Oh, how we tend to think more highly of ourselves than we ought.  The Lord will do what He does.  We wrestle against the Lord rather than against the powers and principalities that are in rebellion against the Lord.  Be rooted in our Lord and find life.

Lord, I hear these words, and the simplicity of the truth does not sink in.  You are the Creator of all things.  Everything is in Your hands.  It will be as You have determined it to be, for only You know how it will be.  Help me to see that I can either look to You, knowing You alone are God, or else continue in rebellion and think of myself above others and even You.

Lord Jesus, You have planted the seed of the truth in me.  Let that seed take root and grow.  Lead me so that I live into the life You are giving me through faith.  By Your grace, help me to not think more highly of myself than I ought.  Help me to look beyond myself and care for my neighbor as You have cared for me.  Guide me to live by Your word, my Lord and Savior.  Amen.

“After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand!  It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person” (Matthew 15:10-11).

We sinful humans tend to worry about appearances.  Our lord is interested in who we really are.  Our inner being drives us.  Who are we on the inside?  Jesus came to make us into children of the Heavenly Father.  What this means is that who we are on the inside is more important than what others think of us on the outside.  Do not worry about keeping up appearances but seek the Lord’s will and become whom He is making you to be.

Lord, I do worry about what others think of me.  Lead me out of that selfish attitude so that I see things as they are.  Let not the pursuit of righteousness turn into my thinking it’s about myself, but always keeping my eyes upon You.  You alone know.  You know me better than I know myself.  Lead me beyond myself to follow You in and through all things.  Teach me to become like You.

Lord Jesus, You died to redeem me so that I could walk the narrow way of becoming like You.  I do not know all that this means; but teach me to trust You above all things.  Guide me according to Your goodness so that I do what You command.  Grant that I may be gracious to others, and take me beyond over-concern for what they think of me when I am faithfully doing as You have instructed me.  Teach me, Lord Jesus, and help me to humbly be obedient to Your commands.  Amen.

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, by saying: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.  And in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:7-9).

Our hearts are focused upon our own desires.  We want what we want.  The truth is, in our sinfulness, we do not know what it is that we truly want.  We create doctrines to elevate the self, rather than the truth.  Receive with humility the truth that Jesus alone is Lord of lords.  We have before us true life and that life is following the Lord wherever He may lead us.  Take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Lord, I like the idea of salvation, but I do not like the reality of it.  You have redeemed me and placed me on the path of following You in this world of suffering.  Guide me to live according to the faith that You called me to, so that I may not play the games this world has invented, but live into the life You give.  You have called me to become like You.  Only You know what that really means.

Lord Jesus, in the example You have given me and with the words You have spoken, guide me this day to live truthfully.  Help me see where I play games with You and others.  By Your Holy Spirit, guide me in my thoughts, words, and deeds to live according to Your commandments.  Lead me to know that in You alone is there hope for life, meaning, and life eternal.  Amen.

“But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or mother.’ And by this you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition” (Matthew 15:5-6).

We use excuses to not do what is right.  In our own minds, they may seem plausible, but the Lord has made the rules simple and common to all.  Do not think you are clever, for there is nothing new under the sun.  Instead, simply follow the commandments and know that we have obligations that need to be fulfilled.  If you love the Lord, you will humbly seek to do as He has commanded.

Lord, You know I know how to play games.  I have not obeyed Your commandments, and I have justified this with some kind of excuse that those around me agree with.  But You are the audience of One whom I must serve.  You alone are the One who will judge me at the end of days.  Yes, I know I have grace; but teach me to live seeking to obey what You have commanded.  Your commandments are not just about my behavior, but about showing me how to truly love.

Lord Jesus, Your love is so great that You laid down Your life so that I could be in this eternal relationship with You.  Teach me to be honest with You and myself.  Guide me in all goodness so that I do not play games with You or others.  Help me grow the fruits of the Holy Spirit which You give so that I may live my life wholly dedicated to the hope You give me by grace.  Amen.

“And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?  For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death’” (Matthew 15:3-4).

God is above all.  We should not do what we do according to our own understanding but live according to the word God speaks.  He means for us to live in the order He has created, doing what is pleasing in His sight.  We often make excuses and do things as we understand them rather than do what is pleasing in the Lord’s sight.  God has commanded us to honor and respect our parents and all those who are in authority.

Lord, I do make my excuses and do not do what is pleasing to You.  I do have attitudes and excuse them according to my understanding of things.  Guide me away from such sinful interpretations so that I may learn Your will and do what is pleasing in Your sight.  Help me not just to obey Your commandments, but to have them dwell in my heart and guide me in the way of all goodness.

Lord Jesus, I need the grace and mercy You give for the many times when I do not obey what is pleasing to You.  Help me to overcome my selfish attitude and the excuses I make so that I may obey Your commandments.  Guide me to humbly abide with You now and forever as You teach me how to live the life of faith which You have given me.  Lift me up and lead me for Your sake.  Amen.