A new window on our praise to God opened for me the other day while reading the story of the Roman centurion who asks Jesus to heal his servant, suffering terribly at home. Told from different points of view in Matthew 8, Luke 7, and John 4, the story impresses me with Jesus’ healing at a distance at the request of another – a perfect model for our own healing prayers to our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for others who might be distant.
The story is told this way by Matthew:
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! (Matthew 8:8-10)
Now it’s an exciting thing when Jesus is amazed, and I had always explained it to myself as a response to the centurion saying, “I’m not worthy”. And, for sure, apart from Jesus, none of us are worthy on our own account to approach our Father. But now through Jesus, we always have access.
In reading the other day I made a new connection between the centurion’s words and later words Jesus spoke to Peter while being arrested,
“Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?” (Matthew 26:52)
There’s a beautiful parallel here between the officer’s power given through his superiors, and Jesus’ power given him from our Father. Jesus explains it this way in John 5:19 “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing.”
So now I see that part of Jesus’ amazement was likely for the centurion’s understanding and appreciation of His power through our Father. Appreciation that “with God everything is possible” as Jesus later tells the rich man in Matthew 19. And an understanding much more likely to amaze Jesus than a statement of unworthiness.
Was Jesus also amazed at the centurion’s understanding of Jesus’ love, mercy, and eagerness to heal? I think He was. John records this healing as Jesus’ second miracle, the first being turning water into wine at the wedding in nearby Cana. So, early in His ministry, a Roman military officer approaches Jesus for healing for a servant who is not even present, showing boldness and confidence in Jesus love, mercy, and line of power through our Father? Surely these are the ingredients for amazement.
I think they were also the ingredients for praise. Spoken as a request for healing, these words came to Jesus as praise – praise for the unlimited power, love, and mercy available to Him and us through our Father.
We should be equally confident and bold as the Roman centurion in asking Jesus for anything. In addition to the story of this healing, we now have words directly from Jesus that include,
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! (John 14:12-14)
A recurring saying in Tony Evans’ sermons is that ‘we don’t really know Whom we’re dealing with”, a way of explaining the awe and confidence we’d feel if we could truly appreciate God’s unlimited love and power available to us. The centurion clearly knew who he was dealing with. And this story is given so we might know as well.
Amen.
Agree or disagree? I’d be interested in hearing what you think – and especially if you have additions or corrections to my work – if I’m wrong, please tell me!
words on The Word 