The demon was gone!

(J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Mark" 1857)

"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out
 of her daughter." Mark 7:26

"And when she arrived home, her little girl was
 lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone!"
    Mark 7:30

This passage is meant to encourage us to pray
for others. The woman who came to our Lord, in
the history now before us—must doubtless have
been in deep affliction. She saw her beloved child
possessed by a demon. She saw her in a condition
in which no teaching could reach the mind, and no
medicine could heal the body; a condition only
one degree better than death itself.

"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out  of her
daughter." She prays for one who could not pray for
herself, and never rests until her prayer is granted.
By prayer she obtains the cure which no human
means could obtain. Through the prayer of the
mother—the daughter is healed. On her own behalf
that daughter did not speak a word; but her mother
spoke for her to the Lord, and did not speak in vain.
Hopeless and desperate as her case appeared, she
had a praying mother—and where there is a
praying mother—there is always hope.

Fathers and mothers are especially bound to remember
the case of this woman. They cannot give their children
new hearts. They can give them Christian education, and
show them the way of life; but they cannot give them—a
heart to love God. Yet there is one thing they can always
do—they can pray for them.

They can pray for the conversion of profligate sons,
who will have their own way, and run greedily into sin.

They can pray for the conversion of worldly
daughters, who set their affections on things
below, and love pleasure more than God.

Such prayers are heard in heaven. Such prayers will often
bring down blessings. Never, never let us forget that the
children for whom many prayers have been offered, seldom
finally perish. Let us pray more for our sons and daughters.
Even when they will not let us speak to them about true
religion, they cannot prevent us speaking for them to God.

"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out
 of her daughter." Mark 7:26

"And when she arrived home, her little girl was
 lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone!"
    Mark 7:30