Let’s take a moment to reflect upon Luke 7 and the faith of the centurion. In this great account of faith and humility, we learn that in order to experience God's strength in our life, we must first surrender our talents, skills, and abilities to Him.
Luke 7:7, "I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed."
In this story, the centurion was at home with a fatally-ill servant whom he loved. After hearing about the healing power of Jesus, the centurion sent his servant to Jesus with the command to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus was amazed. Here was a Roman centurion, a man of rank, honor, and command – a leader in the most powerful army in the world – confessing his unworthiness to Jesus. He had the power to call the wisest doctors in the region to his home, but instead he put his full faith in Jesus' power to heal.
In response to this great act of trust, Jesus stated that he had yet to find such great faith ... even in Israel. And when the friends returned to the centurion's home, they found their friend completely healed.
Henry Blackaby writes in Experiencing the Spirit, "Great talents in this world may impress people, but they don't impress God. He is far beyond any human ability and is impressed by only one thing – faith. He understands human pride and our desire to be honored, and when God sees people humble themselves and turn to Him for help, He smiles."
Jesus smiled upon the centurion. And because of the centurion's belief in Jesus, he experienced the power of Jesus in his life. He was blessed, and God was glorified.
It's your choice as to where you want to put your trust. When you rely on your own skills, talents, and abilities, you'll get your best. But if you humble yourself and surrender yourself to the Lord, you'll give God the room He needs to move in your life, allowing Him to give you His best.
This post was written by Rachel Moye.
