Don’t Think You Are Not Welcome

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 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 15:21-22

This woman had every reason to stay away from Jesus. She was a Canaanite. Jesus was a Jew. For centuries, there had been a separation between Jews and Gentiles. The Canaanites were not part of Israel. They were not heirs of the Old Testament covenant in the same way the Jewish people were.

Yet she came anyway.

Desperation certainly played a role. Her daughter was suffering terribly. But there was something more. This woman believed that Jesus could help. She even addressed him as “Lord, Son of David,” recognizing him as the promised Messiah. Somehow, she had come to trust that this Jewish teacher was more than a teacher. He was the Savior.

What happened next might seem discouraging at first. Jesus initially remained silent. Then he spoke of being sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Yet the woman did not give up. She continued to plead for mercy. She trusted that Jesus’ compassion was greater than the barriers that seemed to stand between them.

And she was right. By the end of the account, Jesus praised her faith and granted her request. Her daughter was healed, and the outsider was welcomed.

What a beautiful picture of God’s grace toward us. By nature, we too were outsiders. Sin separated us from God. We had no claim upon his favor and no right to stand in his presence. Yet came to save the world. Through his perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, he opened the door of salvation to all people.

Like the Canaanite woman, we approach Jesus empty-handed. We come seeking mercy, not deserving rewards. We come confessing our need, not our worthiness. And like that woman, we discover that Jesus welcomes us.

So come to him boldly. The mercy you seek is found in him, and his welcome is greater than you ever expected.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for welcoming me into your family through your saving grace. Amen.

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