Nougat 22

Hi

How are you? Feel free to answer privately. I’d love to know. I am well, albeit tired. Sometimes when we read, little details stand out as though demanding that the right question is asked. Today’s Holy Nougat is one such for me.

“Now Yeshua left from there and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon.” Matthew 15:21 TLV

This detail screamed at me to ask the ‘Why’ question. Why was Jesus in Tyre and Sidon? Which led me to the ‘Where’ question? Where had Jesus been prior to this trip?

My quick read offered no immediate answers, nor did my cross- referencing with the Marcan version. At one point, Jesus was in a solitary place (possibly mourning John’s death); the crowd found Him there despite; He fed them, then crossed the river, endured the unbelief of the Pharisees, and left from there over to Tyre & Sidon. It does not directly answer my questions, as there’s room for speculation and that may not be the correct answer. Certainly these details are gloss-over-able. Right? Especially when initial research yielded Nothing. Before you ask why all this triggers curiosity, I’d encourage us to ask further: Why the region of Tyre and Sidon? Weren’t there spas in Jerusalem, Judea or other Jewish regions? Why not head in those directions?

Nevertheless, my hypothesis is, a) Jesus was trying to get some down time, albeit unsuccessfully, which is where the Gentile woman met Him, Or b) Jesus knew God’s destiny awaited Him there. (That begs some other questions, but those are connected to another verse, so we will get back to them).

Tyre and Sidon was in Gentile territory. The people there were purported to be idolators, with zero faith in YHWH. It is possible that in terms of finding quiet, that was the place. And that would easily corroborate hypothesis a), that Jesus was in search of peace and quiet. Except that after He left the woman His team moved further inland so to speak and healed others there. Which this takes us back to my second hypothesis: perhaps Jesus had a divine appointment. (Remember John 4; and the Sychar woman whom He met by the well? Exactly!)

And if hypothesis b) is correct; there’s one more question that I suspect you are truly thinking but probably being diplomatic about – Why is that important for us? Well I have one last hypothesis. And it’s based upon the ‘evidence’ of inclusion.

Having traced Jesus’ journeys from undisclosed Jewish locations in the previous chapter (as well as the earlier segment of this chapter); the region is named as a reminder that we are never so far away that God cannot find or restore us!

Never

God is

never too tired

Never too bereaved

never ever too busy

to make time for us.

We may need to press. We may need to stay a little while longer (note to self). We may need to focus on the need and not on wherever else God may Seem to be. We might even have to seek God’s face when God seems to be far away. But we keep crying out, recognizing that God will answer according to what is best for us – in God‘s opinion.

In Jamaica we say, wha no dead no call it duppy!, meaning don’t lose hope prematurely. Perhaps it’s time to listen for what God is saying or ask the Why questions of the ‘obvious’ answers. It could be that Jesus crossed over into OUR territory just for us; even us Justas – whom others see as nameless faceless persons – let’s not miss the moment.

In Christ’s love and grace . . .