Mark 7:24-30 Keys to answered prayer

24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered  into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26  The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

     Jesus retires a bit from ministry and obviously it isn’t wrong to do that.  However, a certain woman, we do not know her name but we do know that she was a Gentile and we know of her sad situation.  She had a daughter that was demon possessed.  Apparently, she had heard of the great miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ.  She was convinced that if any man could help it could only be the Lord.  In Matthew’s account the disciples wanted to send her away (Matt. 15:23-24).  The conversation between the Lord and the Gentile mother is a good example of what genuine prayer is like.  In v. 27, the word of the Lord served as a guide and a basis for her petition.  She overcame bitterness, resentment, uncontrolled anger, racial tension, and humiliation; attitudes that would easily beset any of us.  She accepted the word of the Lord and with great faith acknowledged her Lord, and added a most revealing point: “yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.”  If all she can have are the crumbs, then the crumbs are enough to deliver her daughter from the Devil’s grip.  The Lord answered her prayer.  He didn’t even have to lay his blessed hands upon the girl.  Geography is not a factor when God answers prayers.  And so we are richer in faith and prayer because the Lord retired from ministry, or did He really?