But [Jesus] did not answer her a word. (Matthew 15:23a)

The Canaanite woman came to Jesus for the best of reasons, asking for His mercy; she was praying that Jesus would heal her afflicted daughter. She was determined and who wouldn't be in that same situation? Who among us wouldn't move heaven and earth to reach someone who could cure our ailing child?

She came to Jesus begging for help, but at first, He did not reply. Our text says that "He did not answer her a word." Have you ever had that experience, where God seems absent as you pray? We've all heard the expression: "God answers prayers, but sometimes the answer is 'no.' "Well, that's only half true. Sometimes when we pray, there is no answer at all.

Sometimes, it seems that the prayers of the whole world are going unheeded. Helmut…