Topic: Virtue In Self-Abasement [Tuesday October 5, 2015]
Text: Luke 7:1-10
Key Verse: “Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:” (Luke 7:6).
Humility, as opposed to pride and arrogance, has the potential of opening closed doors. The humble in heart always esteems others better than himself. Some nations have had to fight needless and protracted wars because their leaders held on to vain pride, while their people perished in unnecessary and avoidable conflicts. In this regard, there is a lesson to learn from our text. It deals with a centurion who had a sick servant.
He was a top Roman army officer. Ordinarily, he would not have bothered about his servant’s sickness. But he took the matter to Jesus, based on his belief that He came from God. He had recognized the Jews as carriers of God’s redemption message and built a synagogue for them. His faith and humility was particularly amazing as a Gentile, having not been brought up to know the living and true God. He had made it clear. In humility, he disclosed: ‘I am not worthy…’
The centurion knew that Jesus, by far a greater commander than himself, did not need to come to his house for his servant to be healed, just the same way he ‘a mere military commander’ did not need to be present for his orders to be carried out. Thus he said to Jesus, ‘Speak the word only’. Jesus, recognizing that such faith was rare in Israel, immediately spoke the word and his servant was healed.
Many people have lost the opportunity of receiving their healing and deliverance at various church programmes because of lack of simple faith and a humble disposition. If such people could exercise the type of the centurion’s faith, even as little as ‘a grain of mustard seed’, they would have received their much needed miracles.
Thought for the day: Before honour is humility
Bible Reading in one Year: Luke 9–10
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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