Devotional: Bold Enough to Ask

(Mark 7:25-30) ‘“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you’” (Matt. 7:7, NASB). Have you ever wanted something, but you were afraid to ask for it? How many times have I failed to knock on a door of opportunity feeling inadequate for the things behind the door? How many times have I made excuses for not taking the initiative to seek for the things that I wanted? In short, how many times have I failed to accomplish things that I should have because I lacked the boldness required of me to accomplish my goals? In Mark 7 Jesus goes to the region of Tyre. He goes into a house to escape the crowds. While in the house a Gentile woman of the Syrophoenician race comes to Him and asks Him to heal her sick daughter. The text indicates that Jesus does not respond favorably to her request. “And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter” (7:26, NASB). Jesus’ answer implied that she should wait her place in line. She was a Gentile, not a Jew. She should know that she was less important. This woman is a bold woman. She knows how others see her. She knows her place in society; the culture in which she lives. Yet, none of these things keep her from continuously making her request to Jesus. Such boldness comes from her faith in the goodness of Jesus. She is confident that His grace and mercy is to all people. We should never allow our circumstances to prevent us from approaching Jesus in prayer to make our request to Him. We are to remember these words: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence (come boldly, KJV) to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16, NASB). Prayer: Lord, we come to you for our needs because we believe in you. Let your Spirit calm our fears, and help us in our unbelief so that we can approach you with full confidence that you hear our prayers. Amen.