"What Do You Want?" By Debra Courtney

Photo Courtesy: havencaraliers.com

“She was quick: “You’re right Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master’s table”. Matt. 15:27.” MSG

A surplus of leftovers was stacked in the fridge. So precariously, in fact, my thoughts of unpacking the milk for morning tea caused me to settle for yogurt and granola. I had no time to risk the probable avalanche, nor the energy to rearrange before my first cup of tea kicked in.

Like last year as I pushed back from a Christmas Buffet laden with ham, turkey and all the trimmings, etc… I vowed never to eat again. Yet, before the dawn’s early light had broken and with only the light of the refrigerator piercing the morning, my bleary-eyed glimpse of sliced turkey and some persimmon pudding caused me to eagerly anticipate my next meal.

Leftovers are rarely considered choice fare. But, for the Canaanite woman, seen only as a “dog” and deemed unworthy of anything more, even leftovers were desirable.

Desperation regarding her daughter’s illness seized her soul as she pushed past the self-righteous glares of the crowd and fell humbly at the feet of the Master.

Jesus sat silent. (Reading this to myself I am thinking that Jesus is saying to himself, hum; I’ll see what she “says” first before I make a comment.)   

A sense of smugness must have engulfed the disciples as Jesus’ initial reaction appeared to validate their deeply embedded beliefs of superiority. Little did they know, a few “incisive words” from Jesus would quickly extract their shallow roots.

Undaunted by Jesus’ alleged indifference, the Canaanite women voiced her unwavering hope.

Jesus gave in. “Oh woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!” Right then her daughter became well. Vs 28.MSG

Jesus came to save the pharisaical community; yet most blindly looked on in self-righteous indignation. In contrast, the outcast woman believed even a single word or touch from the Master would be enough to restore her daughter’s life.

This morning, as I munch on my yogurt and granola with an abundance of food piled high in my fridge, I question if I take for granted all I have while feeling entitled to more. Do I humbly receive whatever God desires to give me, knowing that even the scraps from his hand will bring more healing to my body than the surplus of leftovers stacked in my fridge?

It is not what we receive, but the spirit with which we receive that brings the results we desire, and the surplus sounds of Thanksgiving our Master longs to hear.

This New Year, give God thanks and share from your place of abundance with those around you.

Debra’s life goal is to inspire and motivate women globally to become all they have been created and designed to be by using the guiding principles of their Creator’s word in gaining wisdom, understanding their designed-given personality identities & create their purpose!  You can contact Debra at dwcscc@yahoo.com.

Enjoy My GRACE. It's Yours! BE BLESSED!

Photo by Amelia Grace Photography

Enjoy My GRACE. It’s Yours! BE BLESSED!

ByDebra Courtney

“Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and depends [entirely] on faith in order that it might be given as an act of grace, (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants – not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is [thus] the father of us all” (Romans 4:16 AMP).

I got a letter in the mail last year. As I read it, the letter stated that I should: “Stay steady. Your greatest BLESSING ever is at hand for this year. No one can stop God’s plan for you. Your faith will cause it to be set, established and fixed. Not only the things that Satan has stolen in the past, but a transferring of God’s goods, property, wealth and influence into the hands of His people.” Wow, I thought to myself , “what great news for me”! I received it in faith. I began to investigate scriptures pertaining to this grace (unmerited favor) and wanted to begin to understand more as it pertained to me and how I can receive and give grace to others.   

Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 8:7 that says, “Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this GRACE also”.

The things that God can do for us are exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think is to make all GRACE abounds towards you, and Faith is the key. Abounding in faith comes from the GRACE of God.  

Verse 9 says:

“For you know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

Giving is a natural response of love. I learned a long time ago that the seed that leaves my hand never leaves my life. It goes out into my future and produces a harvest for me. I have been in a place of lack.  I don’t like lack. I have been in a place of abundance and I like abundance better. How about you?

Through the grace I have received, I go with eagerness to help others. To encourage, uplift, and reach everyone we can with the good news of the Gospel is a great understanding that God has placed in my heart. That they know He loves them and cares about them and is very much interested in where they are at and what they are doing with their lives. Kingdom living is grace living, I believe.

I have so radically experienced grace through others by them giving of their time, talents, and treasures to me. The authenticity and intentionality with which it was given to and I received it was one of the greatest moves of love and grace ever expressed to me.

Jesus set aside so much for us. Yet by doing so, he made us “rich” because we received the good grace of freedom from sin which make us uniquely special! We are wondrously created! We have such great grace abounding towards us. How awesome is that!