My Desire

Scripture:

"And Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go, it shall be done for you as you have believed.' And the servant was healed that very moment." Matthew 8:13

Observation:
This is a short story. It only covers 9 verses, but in them is a wealth of lessons to learn. The centurion was definitely in a seat of honor. He was a commander of the Roman army. He was a man that did not need to go see someone. If he had any interest, he would just send for someone to come see him. Here, in this story, we see him approach Christ in all humility and beg him to act on behalf of his servant. In doing so, he explains what he believes to be true of Christ. At the end of his dissertation, Jesus claims this man's faith to be greater than any he has seen.

Application:
This passage is particularly challenging to me. I feel like many times I pray for God to move or act SO THAT my faith can be strengthened. As I read tonight, I sense from God a conviction in this area.

My faith in God should not be establish based on my history. It needs to rest solely on what I know of God. It is totally sensible to expect God to move and for my faith to be strengthened as He moves on my behalf. That said, faith must come before the movement.

I am reminded tonight that I do not need to wait until a challenging situation comes along to seek to understand God. I need to live on the edge. I need to live ready. Every minute of every hour of every day should be spent preparing myself for taking the next steps that God has for me. Faith is always easier to establish on the front end than it is to establish it on the backside of trouble.

Prayer:
Tonight, as we pulled up to the condo, I realized I was vulnerable. Being on vacation is great. The break from normal life is a welcomed change of pace. But I should never take a break from seeking You.

For the past couple days, I have set You aside. I have still read my Bible and prayed to You, but I have not really sought You. You have definitely not been my top priority.

I simply ask Your forgiveness. I have neglected Your fellowship and I feel lonely. The absence of Your tangible presence in my life feels as if the very life of my soul has been stripped away. There is no place I would rather be in this moment, nothing I would rather be doing, other than sitting at Your feet and sensing Your manifest presence before me.

I ask that You move upon my heart tonight and teach me how to maintain my pursuit of You. Even when I get tired. Even when my mind is exhausted. Even when my flesh cries out for entertaining. Regardless of what internal desires tempt me, I ask that nothing compete with my fellowship with You.

At the end of the day, this is my desire: To know You and be known by You. When the world around me threatens to fall apart, I ask that my faith be found sufficient to carry me through.