When 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.” Matthew 8:10
The Roman military was often brutal and therefore despised. They were the occupiers, the foreign agent of an oppressive government. But at some point, this Roman officer, the centurion, encountered a man named Jesus who was like no other person he knew. In desperation, he did not seek his own chain of command, or access the many gods he grew up knowing. He found the true source of all power, Jesus.
Jesus is a first responder to human need. This man, a military leader of 100 soldiers, understood authority when he asked for the healing of his servant, even suggesting that Jesus did not have to leave his present place and attend his servant in person, knowing that at His very word, His will would be done.
This man of humble faith did not know Jesus was unrivaled by those in the Jewish tradition. It is one thing to know that Jesus can do anything! But this man put his trust in the Sovereign supremacy of the Messiah.
Relying on God’s power is a facet of faith, but submitting ourselves to God’s authority and laying our hopes and dreams in His care is where real living begins.
Happy Saturday!
Gretchen