Praying for the Caucasus People

Chechen children in Caucasus mountain region

This email is from a good friend of mine who is a missionary to the Caucasus people (formerly Russia) who are mainly Muslim. A good lesson for today can be derived from this Bible story!

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. 
So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He 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.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” 
And her daughter was healed at that moment.   Matthew 15:21-28

"We pray more women will be like the Matthew 15:21-28 Canaanite woman.  Though from a nationality outside the house of Israel, though an enemy of Israel, she wanted healing for her demon-possessed daughter. She knew just enough of Jesus to go find him.

She pestered the disciples to get through to see him. She rebutted with clever wit Jesus's test where he used a usual, expected ethnic slight against the Canaanites [We just learned they make these ethnic jokes/slights all the time in Dagestan]. Like one from any powerless ethnic group or nationality, she endured the deep humiliation hearing such publicly accepted denigration of her people; but her canny wit blasted through Jesus' word play and she demonstrated her faith.

Imagine the features on her face, looking towards Jesus, perhaps directly in his eyes (which would break culture code too). "You can say what you want to me to test my resolve, but I know I need YOU and I'm not moving until YOU do what I KNOW you can do."

Doubtful that the disciples caught the whole message here, but wasn't Jesus showing just how much shame; humiliation some must endure to come to Him (and soon Jesus would be the one enduring deep shame and humiliation for ALL). Her faith was great indeed! The disciples were privileged that Jesus chose them. Here, the Canaanite woman, against strong social barriers, is Choosing Jesus.
       
So we ask God to move these Caucasus women, men and families in great faith to GO FIND Jesus; to step past the mental, social, historical walls developed from 1000 years of reasons not to seek Jesus and to pester Christ's church for mere "crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

We pray Christ's Russian speaking churches and Global Church will awaken and begin sincerely INVITING Caucasus Peoples to authentically meet Jesus. He's the only one who will complete their customs and cultures towards a Biblical tapestry of faith and worship. We pray the "bread of Jesus" will be offered, not as crumbs and leftovers, but from the meal table itself [through fellowship groups they can call home]!"