9th.: ‘Buying in’ to our Request
Jesus did not confirm his conversations to just Jews.
Matthew 8:5-10 tells us of a conversation with a Roman centurion.
“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him
a centurion, beseeching him and saying, ‘Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.’
And Jesus said unto him, ‘I will come and heal him.’
The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof. But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this man, Go, and he goes, and to another, ‘Come’ and he comes. And to my servant, ‘Do this’ and he does it.
When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, ‘Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel.’ … and his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” (Matt 8:5-10,13c)
Usually, people expect the healer to stand over the hurting person, and touch them, or something similar.
However, this centurion knew that Jesus’ command was all that was needed.
We don’t need to be near the ones for whom we are praying.
We just need to tell God.
What matters is that God choses to help.
Be thoughtful in how you word your requests.
Remember, though, that he has the right to say 'No'.
“For his [Jesus’] word was with power.” (Luke 4:32b)