The Healing of the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter

 Transcribed by AI

Welcome to the programme "The Secret of Life." This programme, in the light of the Holy Gospel, helps you to bring about fundamental changes in your life. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and Wellbeing, welcome to the live programme "The Secret of Life." Please accept my greetings. I hope you are all well, healthy, and in good spirits.

We are very grateful for your contact last week via Facebook, WhatsApp, or Bible app. We always love to hear from you. Today, after a while, we have Daniel with us. Welcome, Daniel. Greetings to you, brother Shaye. I am happy that we have the opportunity today to discuss another topic together on "The Secret of Life." I am also glad that I can enter the homes of dear ones in Afghanistan and beyond through this means, so we can take some time to allow our awareness and thoughts to change a bit based on the Holy Scriptures.

Daniel, you know that our viewers have a very good and excellent opinion about you and your talks. If you are away for a while, our viewers ask questions or feel anxious about Jesus. I am glad you are with us again. Thank you for your kindness, and also for the kindness of our dear friends wherever they are; they are indeed the reason for our being here. May the God of Grace bless us to be united in the Church of God and to speak of God's work, His wisdom, and His love. Amen, may that truly be a blessing for us all.

You have a kind heart, brother Shaye. Well, dear friends, today is 11th September, the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America. We all know that on 11th September 2001, the Twin Towers in New York City and several other places in America were attacked by radical Muslim terrorists led by Osama bin Laden. All of these terrorists were from Saudi Arabia.

In these attacks, two thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven Americans were killed, and thousands were injured. Even after these attacks, many died due to injuries, and those who were working in rescue operations also lost their lives. Following these attacks, in October of that same year, America and NATO invaded Afghanistan. They defeated the Taliban government, and a new government was established in Afghanistan in 2001. Then, in 2011, the Americans killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

America and NATO had a presence in Afghanistan for 20 years and finally withdrew in 2021. Power was once again handed over to those who had taken it in the first place. The question here is whether the world and Afghanistan are a better place to live in after 25 years. Is there peace in the world? We all know from watching the news daily that the answer to this question is no.

Peace does not exist in the world today. There has been a war between Russia and Ukraine for five years, and hundreds of thousands have been killed in this war, with millions displaced from their homes. There has been ongoing conflict between America, Israel, and Iran for six months, and the world economy has been disrupted. Everything has become expensive, and even the people of Afghanistan, who used to receive supplies from Iran, have been cut off, and they are suffering greatly today.

The Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021 and closed the doors of schools and universities to girls and women. The people of Afghanistan today do not enjoy even the minimum freedoms. It must be clearly stated that followers of Jesus Christ, or we as followers of Jesus Christ, are against any form of terrorist attacks and the killing of people by individuals, groups, and governments.

Terrorist attacks throughout history have been carried out by independent individuals, various groups, different religions, and governments, which are against God's will and the message of the Gospel. Look, all terrorist attacks or killings of individuals are against God's will and the message of the Gospel. I want to read a few verses from the Bible, from Ezekiel chapter 18, verses 30 to 32. I want to read these verses for you.

The Lord says, "I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, so turn and live." May the Lord bless His word. Daniel, please go ahead. Truly, when you spoke about the events of 11th September, I remember that morning when I was tired and following that event in the news media. We, who were very far away, felt horrified when we saw this incident. Families of those who were directly affected, and the entire American nation, must have been greatly concerned about this event. After that, you pointed out that various powers, governments, and monarchs make decisions based on their political issues and behaviours, and they attempt to compensate for the consequences of their actions.

We saw that immediately after, the US government sought to compensate by attacking Afghanistan, particularly targeting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. I remember, during that time, forgive me, brother Shaye, as I digress, but I want to revert to the entire verse. I remember that at that time, when we were refugees in another country, social media was filled with the joy of people in Afghanistan celebrating that America had come to save them from the Taliban, Mujahideen, or Al-Qaeda. They were so happy. Streets were filled with celebrations, and men were shaving their beards, while colourful women's clothing was sold in the markets. There was joy, there was a sense of liberation, and people were very happy that the Taliban had been overthrown. They saw America as the agent of peace and a hope for their future.

But as you pointed out, after years, we saw that this hope turned into despair once again. The government or power that was supposed to be the agent of peace began thinking only of its own interests. This peace went in a direction where our people experienced bitterness once more, and today they are all hopeless and in search of peace. Sometimes I see various groups and organisations in Afghanistan trying to unite. Why? Because they want to bring peace. In the past month, we witnessed very bad events in Badakhshan, where the Taliban and some of our people engaged in conflict, and many were killed.

We see that in today’s godless world, when one thinks of self, they think of eliminating others to achieve a moral society, to bring self and eliminate evil. This history, or this reality shows that this way of thinking is not correct. We need a mindset that helps us and addresses the root of the issue from within. To be an agent of peace, one must have the peace of God in their heart. When you read those verses in Ezekiel chapter 18, it points to this very issue. The Lord says to repent, to turn back to Him. And have a healed heart in His presence so that you can be an agent of peace.

The Lord declares that He is not pleased even if a wicked person dies. But the world today suggests that for peace, you can eliminate others. Someone like Bin Laden or the Al-Qaeda group thought that they must commit a terrorist act, eliminate a group, weaken their power, and then peace would come. The US government thought it should attack to bring peace. But God's word says elsewhere in the same book of Ezekiel, chapter 33, verse 11, it says, "Say to them, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live." And it points out that Israel should turn from its wrong ways towards the Lord. So, the only source of peace is the Lord Himself.

You referred to that verse in Isaiah about the Prince of Peace. We must turn towards the Lord. Governments, powers, and political movements may formulate programmes based on their policies. But surely the answer will come, and peace is only from the Lord. I think you would like to add something, brother Shaye?

Yes, and on the other hand, in the Gospel of John, the very meaning of the Gospel is good news. It is the news of peace and wellbeing. It is the news of Jesus Christ. And in the Gospel of John, what does Jesus say? He says, "How can we live?" Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." Do you believe this?

Yes, my Lord, I believe that you are Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world. Here, Jesus is saying in these verses that if you want to live... When Jesus speaks of living, it does not mean that everyone will live until the end of time physically. Here, living means if you want to have a relationship with the Lord, a direct and sincere relationship, and live peacefully with others, in that case, He says, "Believe in me."

In that case, what does life consist of? Life is not merely the act of breathing, dear friends. Yes, we breathe, but breathing alone does not mean living. Life means living in peace and comfort. That is, living life with the Lord, having peace and comfort with others, and having life in this world. Unfortunately, today terrorist groups or governments that seek to eliminate others do not allow us to live. And Jesus Christ is present, saying, "What does He say? I am the resurrection and the life." He says, "I am life." Whoever believes in me, even if they die, will live. This means that even if we die, we are with Christ. This is truly a transformation, a so-called revolution in the mindset of all humanity in the world.

This mindset that an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or a life for a life, or revenge against Muslims for Jews, or vice versa, completely obliterates and replaces it with the peace and wellbeing that Jesus Christ brings. Well, Daniel, there is another question: how can we, Afghans, have this peace and wellbeing? Well, just as we started earlier, God calls us to return to Him, and it seems we need to return to the moral source of our lives.

Many people in the world, in the book of Amos chapter 8, there is a verse which I think is verses 11 and 12. The prophet Amos prophesies on behalf of the Lord. He says, "The days are coming, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord." This means there will come a time when we will see this moment. People will seek the right way, and their primary needs will be for food and water.

But one of the main needs that people have drifted away from is the word of God. It is the word of God that can water us like living water and change us. In the same book of Ezekiel, chapter 36, verses 25 to 28, Ezekiel again speaks the word of the Lord, saying, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." This points to the relationship that brings peace with Him.

That relationship is an inner one, not an outer one. The things we witness in today’s world show us people trying to create external peace. But God wants to heal our inner selves first. Because until our inner selves are healed, how can we be agents of peace? In another place, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ mentions, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

If we want to translate this externally, it means that those who are agents of peace will be trusted by others and will inherit the earth. They will live in the land of the Lord and will be a source of blessing. But if we interpret it based on the book of Revelation, "Blessed are the peacemakers," those who are at peace with God, are in peace with the people of God, with others, with society, and ultimately they will inherit the earth and reign with the Lord.

Yes, we believe that one of the problems between the people of Afghanistan is that they often want to try to find peace among themselves before making peace with God. But the Bible teaches us, especially the teachings of Christ, that we must first make peace with God. If we do not make peace with God, if we do not accept Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace and receive healing from our sins, then we can never live in peace with ourselves or with others.

I think the very mindset or approach that people have, believing they can have peace if they do not harm one another, has proven impossible in the past fourteen years. The only way we can live in peace and comfort with others is to first make peace with God, and how do we make peace with God? Through Christ. Because Christ said, "Believe in me, and you will have life." Life is indeed that peace and comfort. And when we believe in Jesus Christ, we become owners of this inner or heart peace, which allows us to live in peace and comfort with others in our relationships.

Well, dear friends, let us take a break for a moment. We will return shortly. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return. Just a moment, we will return.

For behold, he comes crying after us. Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." But the woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. Jesus replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." "Yes, it is, Lord," she said, "even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment. May the Lord bless His word. Go ahead, Daniel. Amen. Truly, may the Lord bless His word in our lives. This part of God's word is one of the challenging parts that many times those who are not believers encounter, and they have various questions about it. Why? Because they cannot grasp the root of this story or understand Christ's approach and the Canaanite woman, or the woman from Sidon.

If we start somewhere that helps us, it is that right now, perhaps in this studio where we are situated, those who are working in the sound room, behind the camera, or myself, you, brother Shaye, and others watching our programme, there is no one among us who can say they have no problems or needs. All of our needs have been met or all our problems have been solved. So, if we want to listen to each other's needs or think about our own needs, I know there are many problems that each of us is grappling with.

So, if we consider these needs, some of which are the main priorities of our lives and some are our desires, we try to address the priorities. There is no one who can stand by us to help with our main needs. Well, perhaps we have many burdens, but there is one main burden that may have bent our shoulders or weakened our knees. When we refer to this story, we actually come across a woman who, like many of us, has a significant need. Many of us have needs related to work, needs related to life, and economics. We feel the need in society, especially concerning women and girls. We always discuss the need for health and issues like these—the main needs of a husband and wife, our fundamental life necessities.

Our cry has arisen, and our hope from life has faded. Daniel, at this point, I wanted to affirm your words. You are a father, and I am a father too. We all experience in our lives that when it comes to requests and needs, our first priority is the health and well-being of our children. We constantly pray for them—morning, noon, or night. If they face even a minor problem, or if they fall ill, it becomes our primary focus. Our thoughts and spirits, no matter where we go or what we do, remain fixed on that. How can our child be healed? Our concentration is there.

When our children face problems or become ill, that problem or illness becomes our central focus, overshadowing all other desires. For example, if someone says they want to have a nice lunch today, or that they want their child to be well, many of us might say we do not care about lunch, but we want our child to be well. The health and well-being of our children always take precedence over everything else. Precisely, brother Shaye. When we talk about this topic, we feel the need for help. We need someone who can help us, who can lift all our burdens or the heavy rocks of our lives—not just any rock, but the heaviest and highest ones that we cannot handle, that we have lost hope over.

This is where we become aware that we all need God to come in and lift that highest mountain placed before us, one that we cannot shift on our own, one that we cannot resolve. We become disappointed. And this woman’s story illustrates this reality, as she is a Canaanite, not a Jew, from Sidon, and she is part of a people group. She might be very close to the man from Gadara whom we taught about a few months ago, a man who lived among the tombs and was healed by Jesus. She had heard about Jesus, the God who heals, even the non-Jews, and she comes towards Jesus, crying out, raising her voice, and this woman’s cry is very significant. Why? Because the disciples of Christ are surprised and say, "She is coming from behind us." She is a Canaanite; what do you want from us?

And to a Jew who does not accept Canaanites or other foreign peoples, even calling them dogs or infidels, what do you want from a Jew who has such a view of you? The disciples of Christ do not accept this at first and want to silence her. But this woman continues, why? Because she truly has a need. Many of our dear ones in Afghanistan are in very difficult situations, possibly disillusioned with their faith, the people around them, the circumstances, and the government, and they have fears, just as this woman had. This woman had a faith; she had a belief. She worshipped a god, a dead religion that did not respond to her problems, did not lift her burdens, and she turns to Jesus Christ seeking help.

Her action ultimately leads to Jesus responding to her. Despite her faith, Jesus is amazed by her faith. If we consider this again, the woman cried out, and this time her cry was different from the previous times. Perhaps every time her daughter was attacked, she cried out because a demon possessed her. But this cry was different; it was a cry directed toward the Lord, whom she might not even have worshipped or known personally. According to the stories, she had only known him through hearsay. This can greatly help us today in the land of Afghanistan among those who are listening, those who are struggling, and whose dead faith no longer provides answers. They need to cry out and bring their needs to the Lord.

This need could be for daily sustenance or material issues, but fundamentally, these are needs that no one else can address except God Himself. What is your primary need today that you must take to the Lord, not anywhere else? Many times, you have cried out to other places but received nothing. But like this woman, take your cry and your need and present it to the Lord and ask of Him.

Well, throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus giving sight to the blind, making the deaf hear, raising the dead, and freeing those who were possessed. Many of us in Afghanistan have heard stories of the healing miracles of Christ time and again, yet sometimes we still feel as though God is deaf to our cries, and we do not bring our needs to Christ. Maybe this is an encouragement today for anyone who is not a believer and is watching this programme. Take your need to the presence of Jesus Christ. He does not only heal the Jews but also heals all nations.

This part of the Bible is very credible for us to take our needs to the presence of God and cry out to Him. Brother Shaye, do you have anything to add?

Indeed, these two words that the woman uses at the beginning—she calls out, "My Lord" or in some translations, "My God." Here, you mentioned the dead religions. This woman is approaching a living person, Jesus Christ, someone who is alive, and she is making her request known to Him. She does not say, "I am a mother" or emphasize her privileges; rather, she says, "No, have mercy on me." And again, in the next verse, in verse 25, we read, "Lord, help me," and sometimes we find ourselves in such situations in life.

What do we learn from this? Regardless of where we are, what religion we have, what job we do, or what past we have, we must come to Jesus Christ and say, "We cannot resolve this ourselves. We are powerless to change this." We must bring it before Him and say, "Have mercy on us; help us."

Despite the fact that this woman was a non-Jew, she approached Jesus Christ, who was a Jew, and understood that He is a healer, that He has divine power, and she said, "Have mercy and help me." Thank you. When we return to this story, we see that this woman, well, initially, was not a Jew; she was a Canaanite. When she came to Jesus and cried out, presenting her need, the disciples initially tried to dismiss her.

The disciples said, "Send this woman away, for she is a non-Jew." After that, when Jesus begins to speak to her, He uses a phrase that is not very pleasant, saying, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." This points out that even the crumbs that fall from the children's bread should not be given to others.

So, this woman was not asking for a full loaf; she was asking for a piece. And she had faith that even that small piece would be sufficient for her daughter’s healing. But what is truly remarkable is that this woman had to overcome many obstacles in her life. She had to overcome her heritage. The Canaanites were cursed in a way; they were considered unclean, or they were called infidels. So, she had to confront her heritage and come to a Jew for her request and her need.

This was one of the obstacles she had to overcome. In our land, there are many obstacles related to race, ethnicity, culture, and language. These barriers often prevent us from moving forward and making requests. Additionally, she had to overcome her faith. She had a belief system; she worshiped a god, ultimately worshipping false gods. She had to abandon her dead faith that could not provide answers for her life and move towards Christ.

So, this was another significant barrier she had to cross. She had to reject her ancestral beliefs and come to ask Jesus to heal her daughter. She also had to overcome racial prejudices. Many times, we live by racial or ethnic identities. We say we are Canaanites, and they are Jews, or we are Persians, and they are Arabs. We are Hazaras, and they are Pashtuns. We are Tajiks, and they are Uzbeks.

She had to put aside her ethnic identity and come to Jesus to make her request. Here again, we see that many factors create separation. Not only do we not approach God, but we also do not allow others from different ethnicities to come close. This woman crosses those boundaries to draw near to God and receive her need.

Brother Shaye, you may continue. Another significant barrier was gender. In those times, women were not treated equally to men in Jewish culture. Women were considered a lower class, as second-class citizens. This was a significant barrier. Today, many Afghan women face this gender barrier; they are often seen as second-class citizens.

However, we all know that God created both men and women in His image and equally. We are all thankful and grateful that today Afghan women, despite these barriers, are raising their voices not only within Afghanistan but also to the world, expressing their rights and needs.

We see that Jesus Christ, in the last verse, says, "O woman, great is your faith!" When women come to Christ, often we see that they have strong faith, and Jesus says, "Your request is granted." And at that moment, the woman’s daughter was healed.

This shows that Jesus is not only healing the women or daughters but also teaching a significant lesson to men. He is saying that healing comes through faith, and only through Him is it possible. This is a joyful message for us, for men, for young people, for all who are in Afghanistan; it shows that Jesus Christ is willing to change and heal us too.

If we are to summarise this part, we see that we are faced with the request of this woman, a woman who has a need and has lost hope, and she could be a man too. In the first part, we feel the request, we feel the need, and we sense confusion and despair, and we cry out. This cry must be directed somewhere. Many times, we feel lost and do not know where to direct this cry or who to ask.

The first part is the request from this woman, and the second part is her perseverance. She overcame the obstacles, even the comments from the disciples saying, "Send this woman away." She also faced Jesus speaking of taking the children’s bread and giving it to the dogs. But she persevered, and this teaches us that we should also persevere in our faith.

God will help us just as He helped this woman. Her faith was strengthened, and she reached a point where, as brother Shaye pointed out, God rewarded her according to her need; her daughter was healed. This woman received a unique recognition that no one else had received. She astonished Jesus with her faith. The disciples learned a new lesson about how God interacts with others and how they should interact with others, becoming agents of love and blessing.

When all these factors come together, we can conclude that there is indeed hope today. If any of you are in difficult circumstances, in situations where you feel alone, there is hope. Today, you can place your hope in God.

Well, dear friends, we commend you to the blessed and hopeful hands of Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace and Wellbeing. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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