-March 31, 2023-
Good morning, happy Friday,
“Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having 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.”
(Luke 7:7-8).
Though the Jews felt the centurion was deserving, he did not. He considered himself unworthy. The definition of unworthy is, “not deserving of effort, attention or respect; not good enough for, ineligible, unqualified.” He had such great faith combined with great humility. He believed that Jesus could heal his servant who was sick and near death; he also had the most humble attitude. He wasn’t demanding but he was pleading with our Savior. He sends friends to Him. He didn’t even feel worthy to come to the Lord or for the Lord to come to him. Like the centurion we need to believe in order to receive. Being a Gentile, he took a lowly place before the Lord. Most of are Gentiles as well.
He was a man of authority with soldiers and servants under him. He recognized the authority of Jesus by comparing himself Jesus in that way. He asked that Jesus would just speak a word and his servant would be healed. Jesus was amazed by his great faith. Luke 7:9-10 says, When Jesus heard of these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, ‘I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.’ And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.”
The same thing happened with the Syrophoenician woman, also a Gentile, who begged Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. She felt her unworthiness but also had great faith, and was willing to eat the crumbs from the Master’s table. Jesus healed her daughter and when she got home the demon was gone and she was lying on the bed. The Lord loves it when we feel our unworthiness and yet have great faith in Him.
In David’s day, he found Mephobosheth, the son of Jonathan, who was lame. He made him sit at his table as one of his own sons. He felt so unworthy that he told the king, “What is your servant, that you should look on a dead dog as I” (2 Samuel 9:8)? After receiving Christ we are adopted into God’s family. We are so blessed. We should never lose our sense of His worthiness and our unworthiness.
Have a blessed day of great faith combined with unworthiness. God doesn’t owe us anything but He has given us everything. Stay safe and healthy.
Giving all the glory to His name,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 