Luke 7:1 - 20
How many times have you begged God for some thing? Perhaps you have tried to bargain with God about some thing. All that happens in that kind of situation is frustration. God is a god of love not manipulation. He will not manipulate and will not be manipulated.
This story is particularly interesting because Jesus had made the statement that He had been called to the household of Israel yet it is a Roman centurion that He is going to help. Romans were the occupying force in Israel they were for the most part arrogant. They did allow for a certain amount of autonomy. No matter how benevolent a dictator is they are still a dictator. Yet Jesus decided that He would go to meet with the occupier and heal his servant. Why?
We must understand that our whining, fear, anger, frustration, nor begging move God, His desire is to be believed! Faith in Him and His word are the things that move Him. He wants to be believed.
The centurion loved his servant and longed to see him well but that was not the start of his faith. His faith began when he realized that there was more to this world than what He understood. He was kind, loving and respectful to the Jews. He was generous. He recognized and was accountable to a “God-consciousness” even before he knew who Jesus was. When Jesus appeared in his world, he was immediately able to see the hand of God. When people are seeking, with an honest heart, they will find the Lord. The centurion asked for Jesus to come to heal his servant, he recognized Jesus ability to heal, he simply believed.
He did it humbly. The centurion was a powerful man; he was over one hundred of the toughest, bravest soldiers of this era. To achieve his rank, he had to have been very brave, seen many battles, and been an intelligent leader. His attitude could have been, “I will command this carpenter’s son from the nowhere region of Galilee to come and heal my servant.” He didn’t, he asked humbly for help.
“I recognize your authority” those are the words he was saying indirectly to Jesus. Jesus had no earthly authority, He was a slave in an occupied country, He was a carpenter’s son, He did not possess wealth, power, or title. This centurion recognized something, by faith, that most of Israel missed, Jesus is God and can do anything! He simply believed and Jesus responded to that faith.
What are you looking for today? Can you walk it though by faith? Can you believe today that God still has the ability to move things in your life, to heal, deliver, encourage, and bless? Take the risk today! Faith is really spelled R-I-S-K! See what the Lord will do. Put your faith in action and see what God will do
No comments:
Post a Comment