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Touch of Faith
39
responded to the Saviour’s words. But he thought himself unworthy
to approach Jesus, and he appealed to the Jewish elders to make
request for his servant’s healing.
The elders present the case to Jesus, urging that “he was worthy
for whom He should do this: for he loveth our nation, and he hath
built us a synagogue.”
Luke 7:4, 5
.
But on the way to the centurion’s home, Jesus receives a message
from the officer himself, “Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not
worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof.”
Verse 6
.
Still the Saviour keeps on His way, and the centurion comes in
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person to complete the message, saying, “Neither thought I myself
worthy to come unto Thee,” “but speak the word only, and my servant
shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers
under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another,
Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.”
Verse 7
;
Matthew 8:8, 9
.
“I represent the power of Rome, and my soldiers recognize my
authority as supreme. So dost Thou represent the power of the
infinite God, and all created things obey Thy word. Thou canst
command the disease to depart, and it shall obey Thee. Speak but
the word, and my servant shall be healed.”
“As thou hast believed,” Christ said, “so be it done unto thee.
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And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”
Verse 13
.
The Jewish elders had commended the centurion to Christ be-
cause of the favor he had shown to “our nation.” He is worthy, they
said, for “he hath built us a synagogue.” But the centurion said of
himself, “I am not worthy.” Yet he did not fear to ask help from
Jesus. Not to his own goodness did he trust, but to the Saviour’s
mercy. His only argument was his great need.
In the same way every human being can come to Christ. “Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His
mercy He saved us.”
Titus 3:5
. Do you feel that because you are a
sinner you cannot hope to receive blessing from God? Remember
that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to
recommend us to God; the plea that we may urge now and ever is
our utterly helpless condition, which makes His redeeming power
a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the
cross of Calvary and say: