Real Faith

Luke 8

48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Oh, to have the faith of this woman! She had suffered with bleeding for 12 years, and she had gone to doctors, to priests and rabbis, all to no avail. When she hears that Jesus is in town, she desires only to touch the hem of His robe, not really wanting to “bother” Him. Her faith healed her. Oh to have that kind of faith! I have Jesus with me every day, yet how often do I display a faith that even remotely resembles hers? I quote Philippians 4:13, but do I REALLY believe that I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me? It is easy to say while sitting here writing these words out. It is quite something else to put into practice. Maybe if I could just touch the hem of His robe…wait, I am not a bother to Jesus, I am the object of His great love! Increase my faith, O Lord. May You receive glory and honor by my daily actions and may others come to know You because of it.

Real Faith

Matthew 8

5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 6 “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
7 Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
8 But the officer said, “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. 9 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.”
10 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! 11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12 But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

It always amazes me that this Roman Centurion, is credited with a faith that far outshines anything by anyone who supposedly would know Who Jesus is or who would follow the Law of Moses. This Centurion got it. His understanding of Jesus and his willingness to submit to the authority of Jesus is an inspiration to me. May I live my life in such submission to the authority of Christ.