LUKE 7:1-10: After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore, I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well”

A worthwhile study to do is read through the Gospels and observe the way Jesus recognizes faith. I will not list the occasions but there are multiple. Please do the “mining of the Word” on your own and enjoy the digging. Sufficient to say, our Lord goes beyond what some define faith as. If we were to ask the general population, we may hear things like “belief and trust” in someone, something. And those would not be wrong words defining faith, but they don’t capture the whole of Biblical faith. As Christians, we have “belief and trust” in Someone, but it is Someone revealed in one single Book–the Holy Scripture. But there is still more that is contained in true Biblical faith. And this “still more” might be defined as “desperate confidence” in the Someone revealed in the scripture and in His Word itself; Jesus Christ and what He says. And here is a “hint” as you study the way Jesus defines faith in the Gospel. The accounts all display “desperate confidence” in His Word. One of those accounts is in today’s scripture. Let’s enter the scene.

A well-respected centurion had a servant who was extremely sick; actually, he was dying. And the centurion cared dearly for him. The word of a Man named Jesus was spreading; a Man who healed people. Within the centurion’s heart rose hope. He sent a group of Jewish elders to inquire of Jesus coming to heal His servant. They pleaded with the Master to do so and the compassionate Christ proceeded on this healing mission. As He approached the home of the centurion, we read this staggering display of genuine faith in Christ and His Word – And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore, I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.” Total trust and abandonment to Jesus’ Word. He didn’t need a display of power, not some spiritual experience, no vision or sign . . . it was Jesus and His Word alone. That was all that was necessary. And the same applies to us today. Friends, learn to be satisfied and to rely on the trustworthiness of Christ and His Word. Like the centurion, our cry to Jesus in whatever situation we find ourselves only needs to be, “Just say the Word.” He and His Word will be enough.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for the power of Your Word. May I rely upon it more and more each day.”

QUOTE: “Our faith is not just a profession of belief but a confident abandon on what God has said in His Word.”