Verse of the Day 8/25

Through the Bible - Psalms 119:1-88, 2 Corinthians 4

 

Yesterday we considered how Jesus was impressed by the faith of the men who brought their paraplegic friend to Jesus.

 

Did you ever consider the risk involved for these men?  What would have happened if Jesus hadn't healed the man?

 

For today's verse we'll go to another passage where someone showed great faith in bringing someone else to Jesus for healing.  This time it is the centurion in Matthew 8.  Think of the risk here for a Roman centurion to seek healing from a Jew.  He sought out Jesus because he recognized that Jesus had power and authority over disease, in this case a paralyzed servant - at home.

 

Matthew 8:9-10 (ESV) ⁹For I too am a man 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." ¹⁰When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.
 

What would have happened if the four friends or the centurion hadn't taken the risk, hadn't shown the faith in bringing their friends and their ailments to Jesus?

 

Mark Mittelburg and Lee Strobel in "The Unexpected Adventure" write, "What is biblical faith?  It's "God directed risk".  It's embracing God's unseen salvation, trusting in his unseen protection, obeying his unseen Spirit, following his unseen leadings, building his unseen kingdom, and preparing ourselves for his as-of-yet- unseen home in heaven.  It is the risk of taking him at his word in our daily actions....  Christian life should be a "risky, surprise filled venture, lived tip-toe at the edge of expectation... a dancing, leaping daring life.'

 

It will only come by taking risks, risks of faith.

 

Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Bible (AMP )¹NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

 

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Matthew 8:5-13

New Living Translation (NLT)The Faith of a Roman Officer

 

 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.