Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Great Faith
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…” (v.10)
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Without faith it is impossible to please God. The faith of the leper gave him the courage to cross all barriers of isolation and segregation of the lepers in society and kneel at the foot of Jesus. He was abandoned by his family and friends, was treated as an untouchable. He was helpless and desperate. In spite of the leper’s contagious state, Jesus empathetically touched him and then made him clean by the power of His word. Ever since he was labeled as a leper nobody had touched him. The lepers were supposed to scream “unclean “as they passed by to alert others. He was unwanted and unloved by this world, but Jesus’ comforting touch made him feel accepted and valuable. He longed to be part of the community and his family. Jesus directed the cured person to the priest in charge of certifying him healthy and clean for his identity to be restored in the social circle of life. Jesus told him to give his thanksgiving offering for his healing. God wants the outcasts to be accepted by society. Jesus accepts the rejected and uplifts the downtrodden. Every person is important in the Creator’s sight.
We see the gentile centurion pleading with Jesus to heal his servant suffering from paralysis. Jesus told him that He would go and heal him. But the centurion, in all humility, responded by telling Jesus that he does not deserve to have Him come under his roof. He requested Jesus to just say the word, and his servant will be healed. From a distance, Jesus healed the servant at that very moment without even seeing him, all due to the belief of the centurion. Space, position, disabilities or our ethnic backgrounds are no limitations for our Lord to act. It is only our limited faith that hinders His healing miracles in our lives.
During His life on earth, His powerful, compassionate healing touch was felt by the crippled, deaf, mute, and blind. A woman subjected to bleeding for twelve years was healed when she touched the edge of His cloak in faith. Peter’s mother-in-law’s fever left her as soon as Jesus touched her. He drove out demons from demon possessed men by His word. He transformed many lives. Thus Isaiah’s prophesies were fulfilled “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases”. He is alive today to heal us from our ailments and make us whole. He gives rest to the weary and breaks the addictions of those enslaved to substances. He has control over every storm in our lives.
Great Faith
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…” (v.10)
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Without faith it is impossible to please God. The faith of the leper gave him the courage to cross all barriers of isolation and segregation of the lepers in society and kneel at the foot of Jesus. He was abandoned by his family and friends, was treated as an untouchable. He was helpless and desperate. In spite of the leper’s contagious state, Jesus empathetically touched him and then made him clean by the power of His word. Ever since he was labeled as a leper nobody had touched him. The lepers were supposed to scream “unclean “as they passed by to alert others. He was unwanted and unloved by this world, but Jesus’ comforting touch made him feel accepted and valuable. He longed to be part of the community and his family. Jesus directed the cured person to the priest in charge of certifying him healthy and clean for his identity to be restored in the social circle of life. Jesus told him to give his thanksgiving offering for his healing. God wants the outcasts to be accepted by society. Jesus accepts the rejected and uplifts the downtrodden. Every person is important in the Creator’s sight.
We see the gentile centurion pleading with Jesus to heal his servant suffering from paralysis. Jesus told him that He would go and heal him. But the centurion, in all humility, responded by telling Jesus that he does not deserve to have Him come under his roof. He requested Jesus to just say the word, and his servant will be healed. From a distance, Jesus healed the servant at that very moment without even seeing him, all due to the belief of the centurion. Space, position, disabilities or our ethnic backgrounds are no limitations for our Lord to act. It is only our limited faith that hinders His healing miracles in our lives.
During His life on earth, His powerful, compassionate healing touch was felt by the crippled, deaf, mute, and blind. A woman subjected to bleeding for twelve years was healed when she touched the edge of His cloak in faith. Peter’s mother-in-law’s fever left her as soon as Jesus touched her. He drove out demons from demon possessed men by His word. He transformed many lives. Thus Isaiah’s prophesies were fulfilled “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases”. He is alive today to heal us from our ailments and make us whole. He gives rest to the weary and breaks the addictions of those enslaved to substances. He has control over every storm in our lives.
Saramma Chacko, Epiphany MTC, NY