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Friday, April 3, 2009
For Those on Earth!
Jesus went to the city of Capernaum. When Jesus entered the
city, an army officer came to him and begged for help. The
officer said, "Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed.
He can't move his body and has much pain." Jesus said to the
officer, "I will go and heal him." The officer answered,
"Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house.
All you need to do is command that my servant be healed, and
he will be healed. I myself am a man under the authority
(power) of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority.
I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another
soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do
this,' and my servant obeys me. {I know that you also have
power like this.}"
-- Matthew 8:5-9 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Authority comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be earned, it can be
given by title or position, it can be coveted, it can be seized, but
only One truly has, will have, and has had ultimate authority.
Like so often today, it takes someone who has handled authority with
character to truly recognize someone else with authority. The Centurion
recognizes authority when he sees it. He is under the authority of
superiors. He commands authority over those under his rule. In Jesus,
he recognizes authority in a way that none other he has met possesses.
He comes to Jesus, to have what no other can do, be done for a beloved
servant.
This powerful man reminds us that it is not just the weak who see Jesus
as Savior, but the strong and powerful as well. It is not just the Jew
who searches for the Messiah, but the God-fearing Gentile, too!
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Almighty, incomparable, and authoritative God, I trust in your truth,
your will, and your power for everything. Open my heart to your
guidance so that I might live as one under your authority and exercise
the authority that I am given with integrity, care, and honor. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
>> NEW: Phil's What Jesus Did devotional is now
>> available as a book. Click below to order!
http://images.ultracart.com/aff/ACU9/1414/108/185/575/0/index.html
>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0403-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Matthew+8:5-9&sr=1&t=erv
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