The Greatest Faith

This blog isn’t complete with your knowing yesterday’s. Please, take a moment if you missed it. The story begins with Luke 7:1, and we had gotten just to verse 7:

Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. (Luke 7:7 KJV)

There was no doubt in these words, as there was with the father in Mark:

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mark 9:23-24 KJV)

Though, I do love this verse – the words could be mine as I search to rid myself of unbelief. No, the Roman did not express unbelief. He didn’t wait patiently in his home, either, for Jesus to appear. He sent to our Lord an acknowledgement of his unworthiness, and his belief in Jesus’ ability. It was not the Roman who said this to Jesus, but the Roman’s friends: Just as he first sent Jewish leadership to Jesus (and they went for him), he sent his friends to tell Him it was not necessary for Him to respond as though this was a Roman command. It was a public acknowledgement of Jesus’ ability:

For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about,

The Roman recognized that Jesus operated under the authority of God. When he told people to do things, they did it. What a blessing it is to recognize that the man Jesus was completely within, surrounded by and operating under the authority of God. That is what the Roman saw, accepted and publicly acknowledged, knowing his unworthiness. Yet he called upon this Son of God, just as Mary His mother did at the wedding in Cana, knowing what He could accomplish.

What did Jesus have to say about this? Only what I wish He could say about me:

and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Luke 7:8-9 KJV)

No, though I am as unworthy as the Roman, as we all are, Jesus knows and responds. Thanks be to God, I need not be worthy to approach Him, and His requirements are lenient:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

Thanks be to God, also, that I have faith in His grace, not in my worthiness or ability:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8 KJV)

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)