Just Say the Word

Matthew 8: ⁵ When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. ⁶ “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

⁸ The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ 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.

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“If you are a traffic light then you will change colors” or “If you are a mountain then you will be tall” are words I never say. I never challenge the traffic light’s authority especially on busy streets. I also never challenge the mountain by saying it does not exist. I do however challenge GOD.

• I challenge GOD by playing “If YOU exist, then” games.
• I challenge GOD by saying “If YOU love me, YOU would…”
• I challenge GOD by giving HIM specific instructions on how to cure my ills.

Sometimes I do not trust in GOD. I immaturely ask for things to get better but in the back of my mind I do not believe they will. I doubt the big idea from GOD and I doubt that HE can do marvelous things through “insignificant people.” BUT GOD says something different.

• GOD says to me “Ask and you will receive.”
• GOD says to me “Believe in the one who made you.”
• GOD says to me “I AM.”

Going back to the traffic light… It is a traffic light so therefore I must obey what it says, same with GOD. HE is GOD so therefore I must believe HE will do as HE says. Regardless of my desires, I must believe in HIS authority over the situation. HE is in command and HE does care about me in times of trouble.

Faith mixed with belief looks like the centurion. He clearly saw GOD’s authority and had faith enough to approach HIM with the belief that HE could do something about the situation, GOD wants me to believe HE has, not only the ability, but the power to change any circumstance. I believe in GOD.

• Are you asking for something that you doubt you will get?
• Do you think GOD is not listening to you so therefore you have considered giving up?
• Are you tired of everyone around you placing their doubt in what GOD has you doing?
• Will you add a measure of belief to your faith in GOD today?