READING: Judges 16-18, Luke 7:1-30
“. . . but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
Luke 7:7
Faith.
It’s believing what we cannot see. It’s giving our life to One we have not met. It’s acting on the Word we just trust. And, it’s often hard to understand, and even harder to live by.
Apparently not so, though, for the Roman centurian in the opening story of Luke 7. His servant whom he highly respected had grown ill, and the centurian sent word to Jesus to request He come and heal his servant. The centurian was a humble man, so much so that he sent others to approach Jesus for him and later sent word that he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his house. If that were the case, then, how would Jesus heal this man’s seemingly dying servant? Wouldn’t Jesus need to get there to lay hands on the servant or to pray over him?
The centurion answered those questions for us. He was himself a man with authority who was accustomed to others obeying him, and he believed that Jesus the Son of God had authority to affect history by even His speech. “[You] Just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Luke 7:7), he said to Jesus. The centurion could speak and others obey him; how much more would that be the case when Jesus was the speaker? Indeed, the people who returned to the centurion’s house “found the slave in good health” (Luke 7:10). Jesus had healed him from a distance in response to the centurion’s deep faith – a faith over which Jesus marveled.
How I wish my faith would be as strong! I have in my hands story after story of the power of Jesus in the Bible. Even in today’s reading, He is the One who healed from a distance, raised the dead from a coffin, “cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and . . . gave sight to many who were blind” (Luke 7:21). I should be ready to trust His Word without questioning it – believing that He leads me when I cannot see Him, that He walks beside me even when I cannot sense His presence, that He hears my prayer even when He delays His response. I should have full confidence in the power of His Word, living by it and leaning on it. I should not hesitate in proclaiming it to the nations, so believing it that I am willing to call to repentance even those for whom faith in Jesus might mean death.
Here’s how I want to live my life: “Just say the word, Jesus, and I will follow.” No questions. No debates. No wavering. No waiting. No excuses.
I write those last words, though, and then I remember that Jesus already has given me His Word. I just need to follow it in faith.
ACTION STEPS:
- Consider the state of your faith today. Is it weak? Strong? Trusting? Shaky? Talk to God about it.
- Take at least one step of obedience you already know Jesus’ Word calls you to do.
PRAYER: “Lord, I will follow You wherever You lead.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Judges 19-21, Luke 7:31-50