Scripture: Luke. 7:9-10
When Jesus heard these words, he was impressed with the centurion. He turned to the crowd following him and said, “I tell you, even in Israel I haven’t found faith like this.” When the centurion’s friends returned to his house, they found the servant restored to health.
Thought for the Day: Probably not quite as shocking as the notion of a Good Samaritan, but the words – even in Israel I haven’t found faith like this – would have been a bit shocking to some in the audience. Roman centurions were not viewed as people of faith, and they definitely did not embody the ways of God. But here, Jesus presents this religious outsider as a shining example of belief. Have you ever had your preconceived ideas challenged to the core? Have you ever felt religious certitude on some subject, only to find that unshakeable conviction to not only shake, but crumble? As Christians, I think it’s ok to feel certainty in regard to the unconditional love of God. At the same time, the implications of that love are often shaking up our comfortable and long-held beliefs. Initially, it can be pretty disconcerting. Give it time, and usually there is a feeling of humble awe as the divine love goes another step beyond what we had previously imagined to be its limit.
Prayer: May your amazing and relentless love be enough for me, O Giver of the Christ, for I yearn to grow even when that growth brings discomfort and anxiousness. Amen.
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