What Jesus Did! 'Lost Who Find!' — Matthew 15:21-24

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely."

But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to go away," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging."

Then Jesus said to the woman, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep — the people of Israel."

— Matthew 15:21-24 NLT

Key Thought

Jesus' earthly mission was expressly to the Jewish people. Yet, as the leaders of the Jews reject him, there are non-Jewish seekers who come searching for the Messiah. They will not be put off just because they are not Jewish.

Here is a woman who had no right to the blessings of the Jewish people, yet she greets Jesus with Messianic titles and calls him Lord three times in today's verses and the following ones! Unlike the "religious" leaders, she is an earnest seeker. She is the reminder that seekers can find, even when the time is not right. As the following verses show (Matthew 15:25-28), her faith is great, like another Gentile we meet in this gospel (Matthew 8:5-13). Both are reminiscent of God's love for foreigners trumpeted in the law, in the prophets (Isaiah 56:1-8), in the book of Jonah, and in the small book of Ruth. They are reminders that Jesus' ultimate mission is to the whole world.

Today's Prayer

Give me eyes, O God, to see peoples of every nationality and language and culture as precious. I know you love all people. Give me that same love. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

3 Related Resources by Heartlight

Spurgeon PM Devo for Oct. 9th
Devo: Morning & Evening
"Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing, may take comfort from the story before us. The Saviour did not at once bestow the blessing,..."
Connecting People of Other Cultures with Jesus
Article by Phil Ware
Are we willing to take the risk and reach outside our comfort zones to connect people with Jesus? Phil Ware continues his series on 'The Andrew Effect' and connecting people with Jesus, this time focusing on including people of other cultures, races, and languages.
Hope of the World
Article by Phil Ware
What can this old story powerfully say to our geopolitical messes of today? Phil Ware shares his series for December 2015 on welcoming Jesus and focuses on the Magi from the gospel of Matthew and lets that story remind us our need to reach out to the lost and foreigner and alien and refugee among us.

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 15:21-24 NLT — "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep — the people of Israel."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Thursday, July 24, 2025

God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'Fruit of the Spirit' (Ga. 5:22-23)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no..."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Galatians 6:7-8
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Living in Sin Means I’m Obeying Satan'
"You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil — the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at..."
Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Proverbs 22:4
"Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!