March 28

21 "Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great: is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

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29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them. 31 Inasmuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Of all the expressions of Christian life, prayer is the foremost. And the prayer of faith must ultimately triumph.

"We must not let Jesus go. If He goes away, follow Him; if He seems to be stern, become more urgent; if He hides His face, cry the louder; if He will not listen, assail His heart. Every No of Jesus is an Aye in disguise. It is true we deserve none of the things we pray for; but He has enough and to spare for all; and after the children are filled, He can afford to cast the crumbs to the dogs. If we have but the crumbs from His rich table, we shall be satisfied."—C. E. Luthardt.

"Some old writer thus quaintly explains the case. 'Christ's love is wise. There is an art in His strange delays, which makes us love-sick. We cheapen what is easily got, and under-rate anything that is at our elbow; but delays heighten and raise the market value of Christ's blessings. He wishes to make our faith stronger, and His trials are for the triumph of our faith. He did as we do when we hold toys dangling before our children, that we may make them desire and enjoy them more.'"—J Wells

Closet Promise.—And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.—1 John v. 14-15.

| Jesus, Thy love alone, alone Thy love, Refresheth me; And for that love of Thine, that freshening love. I come to Thee | It is Thy life alone, alone Thy life, That saveth me; And for that life of Thine, that saving life, I come to Thee. | | --- | --- | | It is Thy cross, alone Thy cross, That healeth me; And for that cross of Thine, that healing cross. I come to Thee. | It is Thy joy alone, alone Thy joy, That gladdens me; And for that joy of Thine, that gladdening joy, I come to Thee. | | It is Thy death alone, alone Thy death, That quickeneth me; And for that death of Thine, that quickening death, I come to Thee. | Saviour, 'tis Thou Thyself, alone Thyself, Art all to me; And for that all, of every thing I need, I come to Thee. —Hristos Bonar. |