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.”
—Matthew 15:22
Day after day, she has cried out to the doctors to heal her daughter. When they cannot, she takes her child to the temple and cries out for the clergymen to heal her daughter. But even they cannot do this, for her daughter is possessed by a demon.
Tired and dejected, she hears of a man named Jesus, one who is the King of the Jews. Some call Him the Great Physician. So leaving her daughter behind, she prepares to go on a journey.
She finds Jesus, among a crowd with His disciples. She calls out for healing for her daughter. Not once or twice, but repeatedly. Eventually, the disciples tire of her. They turn impatiently to Jesus, “Can you just shut her up? Send her away!”
When Jesus hears her request, He tells her He was sent to rescue Israel.
But this tired mother has endured too many rejections and closed doors to give up now. So, she drops to her knees, begging again for mercy.
Jesus replies that it’s not acceptable to take the food intended for children and give it to the dogs.
“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:27)
At this, Jesus says her faith is great and commands her to return home. Her daughter has been fully healed.
This miracle illustrates that the goodness of God is not limited to a chosen few. So great and so vast are God’s reservoirs that none need be turned away. The woman glimpsed the magnificent power of God and begged for mercy.
God, have mercy on me. I come like a beggar, desiring only this: that You would pour out Your mercy over me. Draw me deeper, closer to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
