Matthew Chapter 8
“I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.”
“O you of little faith.”
Do we have faith that is pleasing to God?
What is the faith that delights Him.
Is this faith that Jesus demands of us achievable and reasonable.
The various interactions recorded in this chapter offers us a glimpse about this faith.
“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
The first thing that we must recognize and acknowledge, is the need to submit to God’s sovereignty. But are we truly willing to accept the outcome when God does not answer us according to our request? Especially when He appeared to act and does the exact opposite of what we ask of. Remember the prayer of Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane. Do we see the perfect example that Jesus set for us (Mark 14:36) and are we willing to follow suit. That in all our ways, we accept the will of God, we do not impose and insist on our own but to learn to obey, even in it means undergoing through sufferings (Heb 5:8).
“Lord, I am not worthy … but only speak the word.”
It sometimes escaped our notice, but our prayers and requests are loaded with demands and expectations. They might even be made with veiled threats and bribes. “If You do not give me, I will not …,” “If You accede to my request, in exchange I will do …” Our requests are made as though it is our right, privilege and entitlement. In the physical sense, the centurion exceeds our Lord Jesus in terms of status, authority and wealth.
But the centurion knows that it is more important to adopt the correct perception, to see accurately in the spirit. In the spiritual sense, the centurion is in fact lowly and undeserving. He is but a gentile who has no part with God’s promises and blessings. He is but a nobody in the light of Jesus’ authority and eminence. Let us adopt the same mindset. As Paul advised in Phil 3:3, when we come before our Lord, we must cast aside all our worldly confidence (Phil 3: 3) and humble ourselves before our Almighty God. In doing so, we may receive the same praise that our Lord heaped on the centurion.
“And she arose and serve them.”
Peter’s mother-in-law could have easily paid attention to her welfare and well-being, that having just recovered from her fever, focus on resting and taking the necessary nutrition to build up her strength. Instead, she was filled with gratitude and thanksgiving, putting others before herself by paying heed to the needs of others above her own, in service.
When our prayers are heard, do we show our sincere gratitude and heartfelt thanksgiving. Do we know how to recompense through our service to the Lord. As 2 Cor 6:1-2, 17-18 reminded us, we should never receive the grace of God in vain. We take up the cross and follow Him, knowing full well that the life we now lead will not be an easy path. We will need to undergo discomfort and hardship (“Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head”) and we will have to disassociate with the worldly affairs and concentrate on spiritual (“Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”)
Finally is our faith be steadfast and immovable. Even in the face of uncertainties, dangers and afflictions. We see Jesus only and not the winds and the storms. We are not double-minded, we do not doubt but completely trust in His power and His care, knowing that He will never forsake us, but will always be by our side. Hence, we should never leave or forsake Him (Rom 8:38) and definitely not the material loss that we may have to suffer when we are with Him, unlike the people in the region of Gadarenes.
May the Lord strengthen and keep us.
