Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Welcome to Blessed is She, where we love Jesus and you.

Lent 2023 has arrived. And you've got to get it.

FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS $75+

Shipping FAQ Contact
Search
  • About
  • Prayer
  • Community
  • Shop
  • Experiences
  • Free Resources
Blessed Is She
Account Search Cart
  • About Toggle menu
    • About Blessed is She
    • Staff + Writers
    • BIS Quiz
  • Prayer Toggle menu
    • Devotions
      Devotions
    • Blog
      Blog
    • Blessed is She App
      Blessed is She App
    • Teachable Tuesdays
      Teachable Tuesdays
    • Podcast
      Podcast
  • Community Toggle menu
    • Regional Groups
    • Blessed Brunches
    • Blessed Conversations
    • Blessed is She App
  • Shop Toggle menu
    • By Product Type Toggle menu
      • Accessories
      • Apparel
      • Books
      • Candles
      • Cards
      • Crucifixes
      • Jewelry
      • Lent
      • Posters & Prints
      • Stickers
    • By occasion / use Toggle menu
      • Gifts
      • Home
      • Kids
    • Featured Toggle menu
      • Lent
      • New
      • Sale
    • SHOP ALL
      SHOP ALL
  • Experiences
  • Free Resources
LENT 2023 IS HERE: NEW WINE ➔
LENT 2023 IS HERE: NEW WINE ➔

Not Even a Mangy Dog

Not Even a Mangy Dog

I have a persistent, fluffy white shadow named Otto. His hundred-pound frame follows me from room to room, flopping with a satisfied groan at my feet when I pause for more than a moment.

He just loves to be near his people—and loves even more to be near our food. If he waits long enough and looks on mournfully enough, it usually works in his favor; soon he’s gobbling up tasty scraps of chicken or beef.

If it doesn’t happen? No matter, he’s there the next meal—undaunted and watchful in dogged hope.

I used to bristle at Christ’s words in today’s Gospel (Matthew 15:21-28) as He compares a beautiful, faith-filled woman to a dog.

Yet cultural understanding reveals that Christ is highlighting the attitude of the Jews at the time; they believed they had a sole claim to the Messiah and that Gentiles were nothing more than mangy dogs. Christ uses His exchange with the woman to dispel the Jewish onlookers’ lies and reinforce her true identity: not at all a dog, but a chosen daughter, privy to every good gift in Christ by virtue of her persistent, dogged faith.

I can learn much from this woman’s identity-rich faith and my pup’s unfaltering, expectant hope. When Christ leads me into a desert of suffering or the world calls into question my identity, too often I waver—wondering where He is or questioning who I really am.

Yet Christ reminds us today that He leads us into deserts not to abandon us, but to bring about restoration and abundant fruit through contrary suffering and seeming lack. He presses on the wound of worldly lies about identity to reveal the truth of who—and Whose—we are.

Whether we waver in hope or identity, when we muster even the tiniest act of faith, He rejoices in restoring in us all that has been made desolate, and rebuilding—again and again—what has been torn down.

Today, Christ challenges us to become undaunted in approaching Him—and cultivate expectant hunger for our Bread of Life (far greater than any scrap!) with ever more dogged faith.

listen to today’s devotion

He rejoices in restoring in us all that has been made desolate. // @megan_hjelmstadClick to tweet Twitter

Pray this Act of Faith today.

Megan Hjelmstad
About Megan Hjelmstad
View other posts from the author

Megan Hjelmstad is a wife and hockey mom 24/7 and an Army Reservist in her “spare” time. She adores books, sleep, sunshine, and Colorado’s great outdoors. Megan loves helping women discover their God-given dignity through The Well Mentorship Program. Megan is a contributing author to Maranatha: The Story of Our Savior and to our children’s devotional prayer book, Rise Up. Find out more about her here.

LENT 2023 IS HERE
JOIN THE BIS APP
COME BACK TO FIRST LOVE
Share
  • Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Pinterest Pin it
August 05, 2020 — Megan Hjelmstad
Tags: Author_MeganHjelmstad Devotions
Left Older Post Back to Devotions Newer Post Right
Welcome to Blessed Is She

Blessed is She is a sisterhood of women who want to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ through their Catholic faith.

Blessed Is She
Quick links
  • About Us
  • FAQ
  • Contact
  • Affiliates Program
  • Internships/Volunteer
Social
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Amazon
Amazon American Express Apple Pay Diners Club Discover Meta Pay Google Pay Mastercard PayPal Shop Pay Venmo Visa
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shipping & Returns
  • Terms of Service
© 2023 Blessed Is She. Powered by Shopify