Saturday, March 12, 2016

Say the Word- and Sickness Listens

5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6“Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. (Matthew 8)

Thoughts: The centurion believed in the power of Jesus  He believed in the power of Jesus to just speak and sickness would disappear.  He believed Jesus has the ability to control life and to defeat evil and sickness.  Indeed, the healing of people by Jesus was a sign that evil, sin, and sickness will not end.  The centurion was not a likely candidate to have faith.  He was not Jewish, was a hardened soldier far from home, but he cared for his servant who was sick.  Caring for others and bringing them to Jesus is the ultimate healing.  Sickness, evil, even demons listen to the voice of Jesus as ultimate good has power over all evil.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you win in the end.  Thank you that when you say the word all are called to listen- animate, animal, plant, even viruses and bacteria.  Help me to listen to your voice too. 

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