"Faith is a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God’s grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures."
(taken from: http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/martin-luthers-definition-faith/)
I am reading in Luke right now along with reading a book written by Beth Moore called, "Jesus, the One and Only". The book is an intimate look into Jesus' time spent on Earth. In Ch. 7 of Luke is a story of a Roman centurion. Not just any Roman centurion, one who was loved by the Jews. Not too many like this at that time! He was so kind to the Jews, that when his Jewish servant got so ill he was on his deathbed, he asked the Jews to go ask Jesus to heal his servant. At the last moment, he is so humbled (meaning he didn't even think he was worthy enough for Jesus to come to his house), he sent the Jews with a new message. Check out what he said in the MESSAGE version of the Bible:
"Master, you don't have to go to all this trouble,
I'm not that good a person, you know.
I'd be embarrassed to come to you in person.
Just give the order
and my servant will be well."
Just a few things that hit me square in the nose.
1-We don't deserve His favor, His healing, His love, but we get it anyways. The Roman centurion was right. Even though he was loved by the Jews and was known to be a "good" man, nobody will ever be good enough, nor does anyone have to be "good" enough to reach out to Jesus in faith. He understood this. Like the quote above, "faith is a LIVING, BOLD, trust in God's GRACE!" Some people don't ask because they don't think they deserve and they are right. We don't deserve, but that is not why God gives. Thank Him for that!
2-This man never even saw Jesus. Never got to lay eyes on Him. Yet, He still believed. He knew that Jesus was so powerful, that he didn't even need to come all the way to the house!!! All he needed was Jesus to say the word. Now, get this. The faith of this man even impresses Jesus. Luke 7:9-10 9 "When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well." Jesus had never witnessed this bold of a faith before in His time on Earth. I desire for Jesus to marvel at my faith. How cool would that be!!! Not that I am there, but I pray my faith would become as strong as this Roman centurion man. I love the end of the Martin Luther quote, that this type of faith will make us, "happy, joyful, and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures."
I hope you learned something right along with me about this man's amazing faith, how we can always approach God-even when we think we don't deserve it, and the benefits of living with this type of faith.
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