"... a Centurion came to him, pleading with him..."
This story is sandwiched between two stories revealing Jesus as the healer and lover of all who are unclean.
In the passage above the leper was cleansed. In the passage to follow, the demonized would be set free. Jesus is no respecter of persons, status, gender, or deception. He may actually find himself more at home with the disenfranchised. As one Church Father has said, "the Love of Chris transcends all boundaries."
The encounter between the gentile centurion and the Jewish Rabbi is striking - not so much because the centurion's faith was cause for the healing of his "paralyzed" and "dreadfully tormented" servant - but for the intercessory heart of compassion he had for his servant. Jesus recognized this, for he had a heart of compassion, too, and would one day be an Eternal Intercessor his servants, too.
So the centurion leaves his formal duties as captain over 100 troops and pleads for the healing of this lone, crippled servant. Knowing the servant is too ill to plead on his own he rises to the occasion, leaves his home, finds Jesus, and pleads for simple nod. That's all it took. From that instant, his heart is renewed - joy is restored - and his faithful servant is healed.
Perhaps you, Friend, are a centurion, interceding - taking action - on behalf of one(s) who cannot move. They may not know of your activities but they will surely feel the results. You who are strong, rise up and plead for those who are weak.
Conversely, you who are paralyzed, dreadfully tormented; pray that your God will raise up a centurion, someone who will will take the reigns and plead your plight on your behalf, before the Father. Sometimes that can be our only prayer. "God, raise a centurion on my behalf!"
Even so, we know, he will - and he has - the Son of God, even our Lord Jesus Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment