“He is worthy for You to grant this to him.” That’s what the elders said about a Roman centurion who wanted Jesus to heal his slave. They were impressed not only by his concern for a person of much lesser social status but also by his generosity: the centurion had contributed the funds they had needed to build their house of worship.

And maybe we fall into the same kind of thinking when we pray. Maybe, because of our own compassion or good works, we assume that God somehow owes us an answer to our prayers. Maybe we even go so far as to assert our right to have whatever it is that we ask of Him.

If so, the Centurion has an important lesson to teach us. For although he was a powerful official of the Roman empire, he made it clear that he was not, in fact, worthy to have Jesus, a Jewish rabbi, to come into his house. But at the same time, the centurion had complete faith in Jesus’ authority, asserting that Jesus could command the sickness to leave his slave as easily as he himself could command his soldiers to go about their duties.

And so we see that the centurion’s humble faith in the power of Christ was rewarded, as his slave was restored to health. Will we place the same of faith in God today, bowing before His sovereign will with the same kind of confidence in His ability and willingness to give us whatever we need?

Luke 7:1-10 (NASB)

When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum.
2 And a certain centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die.
3 And when he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave.
4 And when they had come to Jesus, they earnestly entreated Him, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him;
5 for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue.”
6 Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof;
7 for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
8 “For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.