Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
The apostle Luke records a Roman soldier’s request of Jesus for a miracle.
Luke 7:6-7 [The Roman centurion said to Jesus] “Do not trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. Say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (NASB)
When I was in high school during the 1960’s it was during the Jesus movement. You didn’t have to be in a church or dress a certain way to worship. People were having communion on beaches or attending church in sandals! However, God is great and mighty and while He is accessible no matter what your income or position in society . . . beware of becoming too “familiar” with God! Bible teacher Chip Ingram reminds us that Christ dwells in unapproachable light, He is not like the best version of the nicest man you know . . . He is completely other!
In Luke chapter 7, a Roman centurion, friendly to the Jews, had a beloved servant who was dying. This powerful Gentile sent Jewish friends to Jesus to request the Savior come and heal his servant. (The centurion felt unworthy to come to Jesus himself!) Jesus was willing and began the journey . . . when He was near the centurion’s home – the soldier again sent word saying, “I don’t deserve to have you come to my home — just speak a word — and my servant will be healed!” What an audacious prayer!!
What really set this man’s faith apart was revealed when a someone pointed out that the Roman not only asked for a miraculous healing . . . he asked Jesus to heal his servant long-distance! He was praying big!! Faith in a great God is evidenced by requests that are out of the ordinary. How often my prayers are those for the humanly possible. The things which require faith are the things that are not humanly possible. Jesus marveled and said, “I have not seen such great faith, even in Israel”. In Matthew it says, “And his servant was healed in that same hour.”