Verse: Matthew 8:5-8 (ESV) – (see also Luke 7:1-10)
5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,
6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”
7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Devotion:
Do you ever find yourself wishing there was a magic formula that if you said the right words in the right order, God would give you what you ask for? Maybe you’ve even heard that idea promoted by some famous “Christian” leader. Unfortunately, God is not a cosmic genie, waiting to grant our wishes if we rub the lamp just the right way. But, if there was ever a template worth following when it comes to making requests of God, it is demonstrated in this story about the Roman centurion. Try incorporating these elements the next time you find yourself in need:

1) Confidence – Brad spoke to us a couple of weeks ago about: Ask, Seek, and Knock. And Hebrews 4:16 extols us to come before God’s throne of grace with confidence. The centurion did not hesitate to seek the help of the only person he knew who could provide it.

2) Community – Luke’s accounting of this same story paints a more detailed picture, one that tells us the centurion first reached out to Jesus through intermediaries, individuals who pleaded with the Lord on his behalf. He didn’t view his situation as his own burden to bear. He surrounded himself with like-minded believers who were passionate about joining in his request.

3) Humility – In the Roman military, a centurion would have been in charge of at least 100 soldiers. But he demonstrated his recognition of Christ’s holiness when he said he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus even enter his house. He didn’t view this request as something he was owed, because of who he was. He viewed it as something worth asking, because of who Jesus is!

4) Faith – “only say the word, and my servant will be healed”. This man was not an Israelite, not a Jew, and yet he had no doubt that Jesus was capable of doing what he was asking.

Boldly ask God for what you need. Enlist your brothers and sisters in Christ to join in your request. Remember that God does not owe you what you ask for, but trust that he does want to provide you with what you need, because he loves you!

Prayer:
God, thank you that you love me enough to provide for my needs. Give me the confidence to ask you for those things, the courage to share my needs with those that care about me, the humility to remember that everything I have comes from you, and the faith to know that you can do all things, even when my situation seems hopeless. Amen.