Matthew’s account of Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant gives us a beautiful portrait of the reality in Christ as the Son of God. The reality is that our King is almighty. He is all powerful. He alone has the authority and the desire to heal and forgive and provide and protect. That’s the reality.
But sometimes we don’t see the reality because we’re surrounded by all the temporary unreality. Sickness and sin and death and hunger and poverty and crime and job stress and family struggles are all around. And we have a very human tendency to be weighed down by all that. We’re burdened by it. We carry it around with us until we’re bent over, beaten, on the verge of being defeated.
“I HAVE MADE YOU AND I WILL CARRY YOU;
I WILL SUSTAIN YOU AND I WILL RESCUE YOU.”
~ISAIAH 46:4
God, through Jesus, has already vanquished all these enemies. Sin and sickness and death have no power over us. And great faith takes its eyes off the temporary circumstances, no matter how disconcerting they are, and fixes its eyes on the Lord. It’s not living by sight. It’s living by faith in the realities in Jesus as the Son of God.
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Stephen Jones: “Uh, dad, we’ve got a guy we can sign to take Roy Williams’ place at safety. Guy named Daren Stone.”
Jerry Wayne: “Daren Stone? What do we know about Daren Stone? Never heard of him.”
Stephen: “He’s a sixth-round draft pick out of Maine two years ago.”
Jerry Wayne: “Why would we sign him? What’s he got?”
Stephen: “Well, he made ten total tackles for the Falcons in 12 games last year.”
Jerry Wayne: “That’s nothing. I could go out there right now and do that myself. Are we really gonna spend my money on this guy? What’s he done so far this year?”
Stephen: “Actually Atlanta cut him at the end of training camp. He hasn’t played any football since a couple of preseason games in August.”
Jerry Wayne: “Look, boy. I’m not spending any money on some washed-up never-was who can’t contribute to this team right away. We’re in a crisis here, boy. We’re in trouble. Have you watched any of the past four games? Don’t you know what’s going on here?
Stephen: “I think we need to sign him, dad.”
Jerry Wayne: “Why, boy? Why do we need to sign this Daren Stone? How does Daren Stone fit in with what we’re trying to do as the Dallas Cowboys? How does he contribute? How does he match up with the message we’re trying to send within our organization and to all our ticket-buying and stadium-subsidizing fans? What is it about Daren Stone that makes sense for us?”
Stephen: “He was arrested in downtown Atlanta over the summer and charged with driving under the influence.”
Jerry Wayne (grinning broadly): “Sign him.”
Come on – you’re better than that. But you still get a DP.