GREAT FAITH

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.  Isaiah 7:9  NIV

Having just returned from a time in Tanzania, Africa, I can now reflect on what I saw, experienced and testify to.  I saw great faith.  I saw people living out their normal lives following hard after God and being willing to chase Him, no matter the cost.

I saw young men completely sold out for Christ.  Giving their all to serve Him – whether it be teaching children (most of them street children), going door-to-door with the gospel, sharing their faith and generally being on fire for God.  We worked together to update a kids' clubs’ manual and I was so humbled by them in what they wanted to teach, are teaching, as well as taking to out-lying villages for them to use with their children.

Great faith.  Faith they stood firm on.  Faith that began as a mustard seed in their hearts in the very kids' clubs they are now serving in. 

What did I bring to the table?  My experience with the Lord and only that.  I came as a learner and boy, did I learn, marvel and stand in awe of the power of God working through them.

We began our time asking the question:  what big idea do we have for this ministry and how can we pray with this in mind?  What had God laid on our hearts to pray for and were we willing to ask the big questions, expect big answers and then thank Him when they came?

Yes, to all those questions.

And God did answer the very next day.  I had shared with the guys that when God answered we would shout, do a jig and praise Him.  And we did.  We looked at each other and grinned.  Our God is an awesome God and He cares more for these children than we do.

In another area of our time there (my husband and I went and he taught at the Bible college while I did various other projects), I was with the teachers at the primary school run by Hope of the Nations in Kigoma, Tanzania.  I was asked to lead the teachers’ devotional time every morning before they started their school day.

I was in the middle of teaching Luke 7 here at home (and actually taught on Zoom while there!!), and so I felt led to work through the first 10 verses of Luke 7.  And it was about the faith of the centurion soldier and Jesus healing his servant.

This centurion:

-          Was a Roman

-          A soldier

-          In charge of many (and he states that in this passage)

-          Understood authority

-          Recognized Jesus’s authority

-          Loved Israel

-          Helped to build the synagogue in Capernaum (which by the way,the ruins are still visible)

-          Knew Jewish Laws enough to know Jesus would be considered unclean if He went into a Gentile’s home

-          Knew Jesus healed

-          Had faith to ask Jesus to heal his servant

-          Begged for healing – begged, which is not something you would see a centurion regularly doing!

-          And did not ask for himself, but for someone else

Jesus healed the servant, and from a distance.  And….He called the faith of the centurion great.

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not seen great faith, even in Israel.”  Luke 7:9

One of the points that we pondered in our devotional time was: begging.  Do we beg Jesus for answers, healing, provisions, direction?  Do we beg for ourselves and others?  I mean, beg?  On our knees, crying out for mercy?

What about our faith?  Would it be called great?  Do we recognize the authority of Jesus and go to Him, and Him alone?  Or do we try to muster through it ourselves? 

Would Jesus even tell others our faith was great?  I mean, think about it.  Jesus did not commend the centurion just in a one-on-one conversation, but to the crowd!!!  Talk about humbling, and even a moment at the feet of Jesus.

So, what about you?  What about now?  Does your faith determine your love for God and how you serve Him? 

PRAYER

Father, increase my faith. Add to it, immeasurably, overflowing because I want it to guide me to You in all things, all ways, in all my life.