WEEKLY DEVOTION

Praying with faith in Christ Jesus

“Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.” Luke 7:7 (read v. 1-10; cf. Matt. 8:5-13)

How should a person come to God in prayer? James writes: “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7).

The centurion in Luke 7 (and also Matthew 8) is certainly an example for us. He came, not seeking material blessings for himself, but healing for his servant – showing his love and concern for his servant. The Jewish elders counted him worthy of Jesus’ help and healing because he loved the Jewish nation and had even built a synagogue for the worship of the true God. But what made him stand out is his humbleness and faith (cf. v. 9).

One might expect this man, as a Roman centurion and benefactor to the Jews, would count himself as worthy and deserving of his request; but he didn’t. He didn’t even count himself worthy that Jesus should come under his roof.

Instead of feeling we deserve Jesus’ attention and answers to our prayers because of all our works and service for the Lord God, we ought learn from the centurion of our unworthiness. We are undeserving of the privilege of prayer – unworthy to have Jesus pay heed to us and answer our petitions.

Yet the Bible tells us: “This is the confidence that we have in him [Jesus Christ, Son of God], that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Because Jesus died for our sins and rose again, God forgives us and accepts us as His own dear children and gives us the privilege and right to come to Him with our prayers and our petitions (cf. Eph. 1:4-7; Heb. 10:19-22).

The centurion also had faith in Jesus’ great power and authority, as well as in His compassion and concern for His creatures. He believed Jesus had the power to just “say in a word, and [his] servant shall be healed.”

We too need remember that our Savior is not limited in what He can do. Our limitations and weaknesses don’t apply to Him. With Jeremiah, we can pray to the Lord Jesus: “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee…” (Jer. 32:17; cf. Matt. 28:18).

When James commands those who are sick to summon the elders of the church to pray for them, anointing them with oil “in the name of the Lord,” God’s Word also says: “the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up…” (James 5:14,15).

O Jesus, You have all power and authority in heaven and earth.You created us and all things and You so loved us that You died for our sins and rose again. Grant that we humbly come to You in faith with all our needs and for the needs of others. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture taken from the King James version of the Bible.]