Jul 25 2024

Today's Bible Verse

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

Add to Favorites Share with Friend Today's Bible study

In this verse from Matthew, a centurion (Roman army captain) expresses great faith in the Lord. He has come to Capernaum to ask Jesus if He would heal his servant boy, who was suffering from terrible pain. When Jesus offers to come, the centurion says today's verse: that Jesus does not need to physically be near the servant to heal him. Jesus, amazed by the man's faith, says his servant has been healed. In a number of remarkable ways, this passage teaches us about the importance of faith.

First, we can see that faith has nothing to do with our upbringing or status. The centurion was Roman—someone the Jews would have seen as their enemy. He was wealthy and in a position of authority, but he knew he needed the Lord. Prejudice from the Jewish people, his own comrades, or those of equal social standing did not stop him from seeking out Jesus. He believed that Jesus had what he needed, and he was willing to act on this faith.

The centurion believed that the Lord did not have to be in a physical location to heal a particular person. He believed that Jesus was truly God—that He knew everything that was going on around Him and He could heal without limits. This faith made Jesus pause, amazing Him by its firm conviction. Even the Jews, who were Jesus' own people, had not demonstrated such faith.

This gives us a model that we can apply to our prayers. We should always ask the Lord to move in our lives from a position of belief. Indeed, we know that He has the ability to do all that He has said; nothing is impossible for God. In addition, we should pray from a position of knowing that the Lord is good. The Lord did not desire that the centurion's servant continue to suffer; He was quick to heal.

Notice, also, that the Lord did not require the beautiful faith of the centurion to heal his servant. Jesus was about to leave for the centurion's home when the centurion said His physical presence wasn't necessary for healing. Jesus did not wait for the centurion to demonstrate his powerful faith before agreeing to heal. In the same way, the Lord simply wants us to come to Him and ask for what we need. As we strive for unconditional faith like the centurion's, we can take comfort knowing that we serve a God who is merciful and meets us right where we are.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to have the same degree of faith that the centurion had. I want to love you and know you as he did. Thank you, Lord, for being a God of healing. Thank you for caring for each of us, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

Add to Favorites Share with Friend

Jul 24 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. :

Add to Favorites Share with Friend
Yesterday's Bible study

In this verse from Proverbs, we have a beautiful depiction of friendship—someone who sticks closer than a brother. Family relationships are usually regarded as the closest bonds there are between people; but some friendships go even deeper than those. This verse tells us that we should put work into our friendships, and that such work is worth it in the end, helping us establish quality relationships with people around us.

Friendship is one of the sweetest pleasures we have on Earth. The ability to be totally honest with another person, to mourn together and rejoice together, reminds us of the Lord's love for us. It reminds us that we are not alone in this world, left to fight our own battles for ourselves. Instead, we are meant to come together in unity, enjoying the pleasures of friendship with other people, loving each other as family even if there is no blood relationship.

Finding true friends like these begins with being friendly, as the verse says. That means we should be willing to extend ourselves if we want other people to do the same for us. Maybe this means that we notice who seems out of place at a party and make an effort to help the person feel comfortable. In other instances, it might be reaching out to someone online to offer encouragement. Or, it might mean bringing a welcome gift to a neighbor or simply joining the greeting team at your church. Cultivating a friendly attitude and mindset will draw more people to you, and you will be planting the seeds for future quality relationships.

The other important component of creating quality friendships is prayer. Ask the Lord to draw the right people to you and to help you identify opportunities to reach out that will speak to them. The Lord is gracious to always open our eyes up to ministry opportunities, and we need to pay attention to His promptings to keep our eyes open. As we do, the Lord will speak to us, helping us cultivate friendships that draw us closer to Him each day.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for my friends and family. Help me to love them, Lord, just as you have loved me. Thank you for being so good to me, for showing your love to me over and over again. Thank you for being near to me always. In Jesus' name, amen.
Add to Favorites Share with Friend


← View Last Verse View Next Verse →