06/09/2026
WOMAN CRY UNTO THE LORD
Let us open the book of Matthew 15:21
Verse 21
[21]And going away from there, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
We are hearing the word this is the word of God. We hear a Canaanite woman crying out. Who is a Canaanite woman? She is a Gentile. As a Gentile, she came out crying. Crying to whom? She was crying out to Jesus.
Verse 22
[22]And behold, a woman who was a Canaanite from that district came out and, with a [loud, troublesomely urgent] cry, begged, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is miserably and distressingly and cruelly possessed by a demon!
She is crying out to Jesus, to the Messiah, saying, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" This means she was going through something; this was no ordinary cry. This is the cry of a woman who believes, a cry of someone who is going through a trial. As children of God, as Christians, it does not mean you will never face difficult situations. What are you going through today as a child of God?
This Canaanite woman was a Gentile. There was no relationship between Jews and Gentiles, but this woman came out and said, "I am going to meet Him." She told herself, "Jesus Christ is going to meet me on the way, right in the middle of my situation." That is why she knelt before Jesus and cried out, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!"
How did she know that Jesus was the Son of David? She cried, "Son of David, have mercy on me," because she was going through challenges. She was in pain. What challenges are you facing? Who do you run to as a child of God? Where do you go when you go through a storms?
This woman cried out without ever looking back or thinking, Someone might look at me and think this is shameful. She felt no shame because what she was experiencing was deeply painful, and she was the only one who truly understood her suffering.
Being a Gentile woman did not stop her from coming to Jesus. What are we learning from a Gentile woman who came to Jesus crying, "Have mercy on me, Son of David"? What is the lesson for us? She came with persistent faith, humility, and bold confidence, which compelled her to step forward and face Jesus.
Today, when many people go through hard times, it is not easy for them to share their struggles with their pastor. Many suffer and die in silence within their situations. What are you going through? That sickness in your body what kind of sickness is it? That depression in your mind that keeps you from thinking straight, know that Jesus Christ is here! Cry out to Him! He is here for you and for that exact situation. To Him, there is no problem too big. All you need to do is come to Him and tell Him everything.
Even though she was a Gentile, nothing stopped this woman from coming to Jesus and praying, "Son of David, have mercy on me." When you listen to those words, they are a complete prayer in themselves, just a few words. Her daughter was demon possessed, and it was painful for her as a mother to watch helplessly. So she took a stand and proclaimed that she would fight for her daughter and her household.
As Christians, we go through many difficult situations. How do you carry yourself out of a crisis? You must navigate your way out by believing in Jesus. When you are going through a trial, do not just sit passively and say, "This too shall pass," without taking a spiritual stand. Navigate yourself out of the situation!
Psalm 23:4 says,"Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."
When you walk through the shadow of death, you recognize you are in a valley. What do you find in a valley? There are many dangerous things. Put yourself in those shoes and recognize that you are not alone. Don't ask for the mountain to be removed without climbing it; if the mountain is removed for you, you will learn nothing.
When you walk in the shadow, remember that the shadow is not the reality. Allow yourself to walk boldly and climb that mountain, even when it is tough, without looking back. Even in that heavy situation, you must climb, and on the other side, you will find the table He has set for you. It is not easy, but with Jesus, we can do it. Just believe! You don't have to strive in your own strength, just believe that He is alive and walking with you as you climb.
So, even when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear nothing. Whatever you are going through as a woman, or in your spirit, fear nothing! He is strengthening you with every step you take. As you climb the mountain, you will encounter many obstacles, but you must keep pushing through until you reach the table prepared for you.
In Jeremiah 29:11For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.." Notice that the reality of potential harm exists in the world, but He promises that His plans are not to harm you. Even when you go through trials and feel like things are harmful, His ultimate purpose is to prosper you. God allows the trial so you can see His goodness in your life. He says, "The plans I have for you are to prosper you and give you hope," so you just have to stay grounded in Him.
Persistent faith and bold confidence are what carried this woman.
Bold confidence can overcome any failure and draw down the mercy of God. Have faith, walk in humility, and yield in submission.
Verse 23
But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, Send her away, for she is crying out after us.
We must truly know Jesus knowing Him through intimacy so that whatever word He speaks, you recognize Him as the Master. Even when He remains silent, you must still appreciate Him.
Jesus ignored her. Being ignored can feel deeply humiliating. Yet, when this woman was ignored and received no immediate answer, even after crying out, "Son of David, have mercy on me" she did not break. Today, when people feel ignored, they take offense. But Jesus did not respond right away. What is the difference between you and this woman? Put yourself in her shoes: what would you have done? You might have taken offense, but that was not her spirit.
Remember Jairus? He came to Jesus, knelt before Him, and said, "My daughter is sick." He wanted Jesus to come to his house. Do you see the same persistent spirit in this man? At first, Jesus did not answer Jairus directly. That is the mystery and beauty of the Lord. In the beginning, in Genesis, God did not speak immediately; His Spirit hovered over the face of the deep. That is why Jesus was quiet.
Even with Jairus, He remained silent at first, yet Jairus stayed by Jesus' side until the servant arrived and said, "Your daughter is dead." Only then did Jesus say, "Let us go to your house." Jesus sometimes waits until a situation seems at its absolute worst because He wants to demonstrate that the glory He carries is far above human power. With this woman, He kept quiet because within the stillness, there is an answer. In quietness, God is speaking and preparing something good. He is the rock that many rejected, the rock that can cause offense.
"Send her away!" said the disciples. They became a stumbling block along her path. Stumbling blocks will appear on your journey, and here, it was Jesus’ own disciples trying by all means to push her back. "Send her away!" this showed that they were not yet fully aware of who they were walking with. They were walking physically with Him, but they did not yet understand His heart and Spirit.
"Send her away, she is making too much noise!" What a painful statement. To be sent away by the disciples meant they were standing as a barrier to her salvation and her blessing.
Yet, this woman accepted her position without any bitterness in her heart. She knew her background, but she refused to be offended by what stood in her way. She said to herself, If the One I am crying out to is not chasing me away, I am not going to stop shouting!
Verse 24
He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Jesus said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." That statement was true according to His immediate earthly mission (as also reflected in Luke 4:18).
Yet, that answer did not discourage the woman, nor did it make her bitter. It was as if she foresaw what would later be revealed that in Christ, there is no longer Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free. She accepted His words humbly and remained unshaken because she knew why she was there. Being a Gentile in need, she could have gone anywhere else to worldly doctors, false prophets, or traditional healers but she bypassed all of them. She chose to go straight to Jesus.
To God Be The Glory