Do you seek the Lord Jesus with confidence and pray with expectant faith?
A Roman official boldly sought Jesus with a daring request. What made him
confident that Jesus would receive his request and act favourably towards him?
Like a true soldier, he knew the power of command. And he saw in Jesus both
the power and the mercy of God to heal and restore life. In the Roman world
the position of centurion was very important. He was an officer in charge of a
hundred soldiers. In a certain sense, he was the backbone of the Roman army,
the cement which held the army together. Historians have described the
centurion as: “They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger
as men who can command, steady in action, and reliable. They ought not to
be over-anxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be
ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts.”
The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled
as well. He risked the ridicule of his Roman companions by seeking help from
a Jewish preacher from Galilee, as well as mockery from the Jews who
despised Roman occupation of their land. Nonetheless, this centurion
approached Jesus with confidence and humility. Augustine of Hippo (354-430
AD) notes that the centurion regarded himself as unworthy to receive the Lord
into his house: “Humility was the door through which the Lord entered to take
full possession of one whom he already possessed.” The centurion was an
extraordinary man because he loved his slave. In the Roman world slaves were
treated like animals rather than people. The centurion was also an
extraordinary man of faith. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal his
beloved slave. Jesus commends him for his faith and immediately grants him
his request.
Are you willing to suffer ridicule in the practice of your faith? And when you
need help, do you approach the Lord Jesus confidently with expectant faith?
“Lord Jesus you came to set us free from the tyranny of sin, selfishness, and
fear. Increase our faith in the power of your saving word and give me joy and
freedom to love and serve others generously for their sake just as you have
generously laid down your life for my sake.”