In Matthew 8:5-13, is the story of the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant, and Jesus said, “I’ll come.”  The centurion responded, “You don’t need to come; just give the order, and he’ll be healed.  I know this because I am a man under authority (I understand authority).  When I tell one of my men to do something, he does it, no questions asked.”

Jesus was totally impressed.  He said, “I tell you the truth, this man has more faith than anyone I’ve seen, even in Israel.”  He was saying that this understanding of authority showed that the centurion had great faith.  It must be that the centurion understood the extent of Jesus’ authority; that he knew that Jesus was God; that since Jesus was the Creator, His authority extended to all creation (including the body of his servant).

It makes me grin.  The guy knew that if Jesus said, “Be healed,” then the servant would have to obey.  (Or maybe whatever was making him sick (whether demon or germ) would have to obey and quit attacking the servant)  To me too, that’s a major degree of faith in God that few of us ever have or see.

I pray this kind of faith in God for me and you.  I pray we will get it (as in understand it) and we’ll share it with everyone we meet.