Wow, Kentucky Basketball is back in the spotlight and now it is for a good thing… finally the Wildcats are ranked number one in nation. It has been awhile since I felt like I could put on my UK sweatshirt and wear it with pride. Yes, I’ll admit it… I don’t think my blood was pure blue. In fact, I think there were times when I didn’t even watch one complete game in a season because I was bored. Now you may think I’ve never been a true UK fan and that is totally incorrect…. I was probably the only girl in my middle school who had a blue and white bedroom with UK posted everywhere…. I was a true blue fan…. But when they began their spiral into just being an average team rather than an outstanding team, I lost interest. But I think I am on the road to recovery …. I once again think they are fun to watch.
With my confession I will say that there are many who never wavered in their faith in their team. Regardless of the poor performance or embarrassing losses, they still never missed a game, still wore blue and white… even at away games and they still cheered as loud as before. They withstood the test and their belief in a team held firm. And because of that they can say that they were faithful during the hard times and now it has paid off.
A test of faith pays off when we hang in there and hang on to hope.
There is a passage where Jesus tests a woman who had come to him for the healing of her daughter. The only issue (which really wasn’t one to Jesus) was that she wasn’t an Israelite… she wasn’t one of God’s chosen people… she was a Cannanite woman. She was begging for help and Jesus pretty much appeared to ignore her. Finally, his buddies had had enough and begged him to get rid of her. So then, Jesus says something that was directed to the woman…He said it wasn’t fair to give the children’s bread (Israelite’s healings) to the dogs (those who weren’t Israelites) and she retorted that even dogs get scraps. She was telling him that she believed even a crumb of what he could do would be enough to help her daughter. He tested her faith and she showed him that her faith was hanging on to the hope of what he could do….Jesus was pleased and he healed her daughter. That was the pay off for hanging on to hope.
Maybe you are dealing with something and you feel as if God is ignoring you….. or maybe you don’t feel worthy …. maybe you feel like your issue is not deserving….. But God is totally aware of your need…..Maybe He needs to see where your faith is… maybe he needs to test and see if your faith is true blue ….. Keep in mind though, I used the word “hanging”…. no one said it was easy… I know it is not easy, and sometimes it may seem if you are losing your grip…… hang on to hope. The pay off is amazing.
Oh yeah, “Go Big Blue!”
Matthew 15
21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”
23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
27“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
28Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
The Prodygal Life 