Sun 2 Aug

Some years back a meeting was held in Inverell’s Town Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to try and stop the opening of a brothel in the town. Because it was a small population, not a lot of interest was taken by the mainstream media. Although the local paper showed up. There were several speakers, many of whom were not well known at the time. If I wrote their names now you would see that God has taken them a lot further.

One speaker stood out. She was a young woman who had just written a book about her life. It detailed her life as a young teenager spiralling downwards into a life of drugs and prostitution, and her journey out of that life when Jesus took her on. The book was called, “A Trophy Of His Grace”. It was called that because God had rescued her and held her up to the world as a trophy of what God’s grace can do.

Today, in Matthew 15:21-28, we come across a similar woman, a mother, whom God rescued, and brought her into His family. Even Jesus’ own disciples thought she was not worthy of having contact with. They urged Jesus to get rid of her. But Jesus refused. She came to Jesus pleading for mercy. Why should Jesus show mercy to this woman? The mum is thinking why should this Jew show me any mercy? They have not at any other time. Such was the animosity between the two groups. But Jesus did show mercy. Is there someone you know in need of mercy? Is there someone you know needs to hear the good news of mercy and forgiveness from Jesus?