From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16

Approaching a Gracious God

I love the stories in the Bible when folks just run up to Jesus and beg him to help out. Visit the centurion with me as he comes barreling up to Jesus on behalf of his sick servant. Jesus had just entered Capernaum and here comes our friend with his passionate request. “Lord,’ he said ’my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” (Mt. 8:6) Notice that the centurion greeted Jesus with a humble heart when he called him “Lord”. Even though he was a centurion and had authority over 100 soldiers he had perspective enough to call Jesus master. He did not try the old heavy handed attempt to force Jesus to help him. He did not pull the old “I’m a centurion and you are a preacher and I command you to come heal my servant.” I doubt that approach even entered his mind. Instead, he knew that he was helpless without Jesus. I bet he believed that Jesus was his last chance. Could we say that he was a little bit desperate? Jesus responded that he would go to heal the servant. He said “I will go and heal him”. It was that simple. The centurion waited for this day and it came. He was willing to get on his knees and humble himself and to do whatever it took to plead with Jesus to bring healing, and in that moment Jesus is more than willing. I am just a little overwhelmed by the look of compassion on Jesus’s face as he responds to our friend. The smile perhaps that crosses his lips as he assures that healing will come by his own hands. The urgent request came to Jesus, and Jesus was ready to act.

In the sermon on the mount that occurs just before the centurion’s story takes place Jesus tells the people, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Mt. &7-8). You have probably heard this passage countless times but the question to you is “do you believe it?”. Do you really believe that Jesus will listen to you to and will provide for you? I love the analogy that Jesus uses after he tells us to ask, seek, and knock. He says “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” After you get over the shock that Jesus flat out called the people evil, let the second part of his statement sink in. He gives us good gifts. He is God! He gives great gifts, and just as we delight to give gifts to those we love, God delights even more so to give gifts to His children. God wants to bless you. God wants you to ask him for those gifts.

The centurion asked Jesus for a special gift that day. He asked for healing for a very sick servant. The only thing is that when Jesus said lets go, he said hold on, Jesus. I do not deserve for you to come to my house. You can heal him from here if you only say the word, I know it will be done. I am amazed and challenged by this man’s perspective. Why did he say that he was not worthy to have Jesus come into his home? He was a Roman centurion living in a Jewish city. He was a man of power, but was probably painfully aware of the distance between Jew and Gentile. Was it because he was not a Jew that he felt unworthy? Was it something silly like his home was dirty because he just had a party the night before? Perhaps they were in the middle of a building project and the house was not quite ready? I think it was something much deeper than all of those suggestions. I think the centurion had an understanding of what it meant when he called Jesus “Lord”. He knew that next to Jesus he was unworthy. He had an idea that Jesus was so much more than a nice preacher, he was divine. Jesus only had to send his word and healing would take place.

The centurion had a special faith. He believed in Jesus and Jesus commended him. Jesus said that no one in Israel had faith like this centurion. Wow, what a complement! Here is a gentile Roman soldier being told by this Jewish Jesus that he had great faith. This is a glimpse of Jesus’s invitation to all the gentiles to come to faith in Him. Jesus was pleased with this man’s heart and humility. He was pleased with his faith. He was pleased that the centurion recognized that Jesus is Lord. The man’s servant was healed the very hour that Jesus said it would be done. I can’t imagine that was their last time to interact. I bet that centurion kept an eye on Jesus.

Have you ever wondered what it would take to get your petition to God? I know that people often struggle with a great desire on their heart and they are just not sure that God will meet them in that desire. The centurion took his petition to Jesus and it was immediately answered. You have probably petitioned Jesus countless times on an important issue and have seen no glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel. I have counseled with many women on their desire for a husband. I have talked to many youth on their desire for deep friendships. I have heard people lament about not being able to succeed in school or to please their parents. There are so many desires that just seem to burn a hole right into your heart and you lift them up to God and you see no progress.

I want you to know that God is saying keep on asking! But in all of your asking, remember who I am.
Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” People love to quote that verse to say that God will give them what they desire. They overlook the first aspect. God wants us to delight in Him first, then our heart’s desire will be satisfied. Satisfaction is found in God alone. Delight yourself in God. The Lord taught me that valuable lesson when I was in my early 30s and still praying for Mr. Right to sweep me off of my feet. I was quoting that verse to him and taking consolation in it when God gently reminded me to delight in Him. He changed my perspective and instead of holding on tightly to my desire to be married I was able to open up my hands and allow God to fill them in His timing. About one year later I began to date my husband. It would not be long before God fulfilled that desire on my heart, but He did it in His perfect timing and with the right man for me.

Dear friend, God is inviting you to ask Him. His Word says that we are to approach His throne of grace with confidence (Heb. 4:16). It says we are to cast all of anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). Be one of those people who go racing up to Jesus! Do not be ashamed about the desires of your heart or your deep struggle and pain. Go right on in to His presence. Jesus paid a great price to pay for your entrance into the throne room. Do not let those tickets stay posted on your refrigerator. Go on in. God is a good and gracious Father. He knows how to give good gifts to his children. He gives you freedom to come before him as one of His own children. You do not even enter his gates as a friend of the family, or like the centurion who entered as a foreigner. You enter His gates as His child (Jo 1:12). Go on in my friend. Meet up with your Daddy God and tell him you are struggling or you are longing. He will be tender with you and He will invite you to take great delight in Him.

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