Do You Have Enough Faith?

In the past days, you may have read this quote: “Faith Over Fear”. When life becomes overwhelming, like it is at this time, we hope that this sentiment is proven to be true in our lives. But what if we instead discover that our faith proves to be thin and weak during times like this? And then watch out for the flood of shame to follow.... - “I ought to be spiritually stronger than this!”

In Luke 7, Jewish elders approached Jesus pleading for his help on behalf of a Centurion – A Roman soldier. The cherished servant of this Centurion was near death. When the religious elders found Jesus, they sought to convince him that the Centurion deserved his help. After all - “He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” Jesus went with them to the Centurion’s house.

When Jesus was getting closer to his house, the Centurion sent word through friends for Jesus to not come any closer, offering this reason; “I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. I don’t even consider myself worthy enough to come out to you and ask for your help. But if you would just speak the word, my servant will be healed.”

Jesus was amazed...(marveled, filled with wonder and admiration) by this guy’s attitude and conveyed to the crowd: “I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” And the sick servant experienced immediate healing at that very moment.

What can we learn about the Centurion’s faith?
By contrast, what can we learn about the faith of the religious elders?

The next day, Jesus arrived in a different town where he encountered a funeral procession of an only son of a grieving widow. Jesus noticed, walked up to the coffin and touched it declaring; “Young man, get up!” The young man sat right up, restored to life.

What can we learn about this mother’s faith? What faith? Her only thoughts up to this point were most likely those of grief, hopelessness and despair. And yet Jesus still came to her, loved her, and provided what she needed most.

So, what can we conclude about faith from the lives of the demanding religious elders, the undeserving Centurion, and the hopeless mother?

Maybe a more appropriate question would be:

What can we learn about our Savior when life becomes overwhelming?

He sees us. He comes to us.
He is faithful even when we are faithless.
He comes to the undeserving and brokenhearted.
Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

- Pastor Jon Black