"But He did not answer her a word." Matthew 15:23
There is something very remarkable in this silence of Christ. Usually He was quick to hear every request made to Him by a sufferer. Scarcely ever had anyone to ask twice for a favor. His heart was as sensitive as is a mother's heart to her child's cries, and instantly responded to every petition for help. Yet now He stood and listened to this woman's piteous pleading and did not answer her a word. Like a miser with hoards of gold, at whose gates the poor and suffering knock — but who, hearing their cries of need and distress, keeps his gates locked and is deaf to every entreaty — so Jesus stood unmoved by this woman's cries, though He had all power in His hands.
Why was He thus silent? It was not because He could not help her, for His arm was never weak. The best of us have our weak hours, our days of emptiness, when we have nothing with which to help; but His fullness was never exhausted. It was not because He was so engrossed in His own approaching sorrows — that He could think of no other one's sorrow, for even on the cross He forgot Himself — to show kindness to others. Evidently the reason for silence, was to try this mother's faith, and to draw it out into still greater strength. He was preparing her to receive in the end — a better blessing than she could have received at the beginning.
Our Lord sometimes still seems to be silent to His people when they cry to Him. To all their earnest supplications — He answers not a word. Is His silence a refusal? By no means. Ofttimes, at least, it is meant only to make the suppliants more earnest, and to prepare their hearts to receive richer and greater blessings. So when Christ is silent to our prayers — it is that we may be brought down in deeper humility at His feet, and that our hearts may be made more fit to receive heaven's gifts and blessings.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.