When you want something really bad, can you leave it up to God whether you get your request or not? Or do you have to see to it that you get it no matter what?

Our attitude toward God regarding things that truly matter to us show what or who is our priority.

There was a man who really wanted his prayer request answered. His favorite servant was sick, and he wanted him healed. And he heard that Jesus was nearby. So, he sends some Jewish leaders to approach Jesus and ask Him to heal his servant. Now, Jesus was willing to go to his house to heal him, but when Jesus came near, that man sent his friends to Jesus to tell Him that He doesn’t have to come all the way to his house, but just say the word from where He is and he will be healed.

Jesus was astonished at his faith and says, “I tell you, not even in Israel have i found such faith.” (Luke 7:9). The man whose servant was sick was a Roman centurion (a nonJew) and thus it would make Jesus (a Jews) ceremonially unclean if he were to come to his house. So, rather than inconvenience Jesus, the centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant without even touching him or seeing him. This, of course, is what Jesus does.

What is remarkable about this story is that when we want something really badly, we want to make sure that God does what we want and therefore will be pestering Him. If I were in centurion’s shoes, I’d not care so much about inconveniencing Jesus as long as I get my wish. And I’d make sure that Jesus comes all the way to my house and lay His hand on the servant. So that if it (healing) doesn’t work, I can ask Him to try it again! But the centurion trusted in the power of Jesus. He didn’t need to come all the way. Just say the word and it will be done!

God gets impressed when we display extraordinary faith. Faith will certainly ask something of Jesus, as the centurion did. But faith will also step back and wait on Jesus, like the centurion did.

PH