Light in the Darkness, April 30
Written by Thomas Sherrod
“The centurion replied, ‘Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed’” (Matthew 8:8 NIV).
Suffering has the ability to cause us to question our faith—both how much we have and whether it’s strong enough! We wonder things like, “Did this happen because I didn’t pray enough or believe enough?”
I know how that goes; when I got cancer hot on the heels of losing both my mum and sister to the same thing, the solid ground of my faith began to shift and shake beneath me. Yet from out of that difficult season, the Lord taught me some powerful things about finding solid ground. And that’s what I want for you right now—solid ground to stand on, whatever comes your way.
In Matthew chapter eight, we read about a centurion who asks Jesus to help his servant who is at home in terrible suffering. Jesus says that He will go to his house and heal him. The centurion replies that he doesn’t deserve to have Jesus come to his house, but if Jesus would just say the word, the servant would be healed. And that’s exactly what happens! BUT the key bit is what happens afterwards. Jesus turns to his disciples and says that He hasn’t met anybody in all of Israel with such great faith! Whoa!
What made the centurion’s faith so great?
1) He knew faith wasn’t dependent on himself, but on Jesus.
This centurion, a Roman and a pagan, probably had no reason to believe he had done anything to earn God’s favor! He told Jesus in today’s verse, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.” Yet Jesus said he had great faith—the centurion knew that solid ground didn’t depend on himself, but 100% on Jesus.
2) He also knew that Jesus does what He says He’ll do.
The centurion continued, “But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Think about this for a second. The centurion believed that if Jesus said it, then it would happen. That is great faith—simply believing that what Jesus says is true.
This is great news for us!! Great faith isn’t about you and what you can or should do, but about Jesus—who He is and what He’s done. Simply look to Jesus and believe in His Word. That, my friend, is great faith. That is how we find solid ground.
When I feel the ground beneath me start to give way, I recite my scripture mishmash verse, “You are my rock and salvation, my fortress, and my strength.” These eleven words are the truth and strength I took from Psalm 62 when I was up to my eyeballs in cancer, and as I pray them, I shift my focus from what I lack to who Jesus is.
I invite you to intentionally lay a solid foundation each day by praying a Bible verse that points you to Him. This is one way we can take our eyes off ourselves, place them on Jesus and know the power of His Word, solid ground for whatever each day holds.
Pray: Jesus, thank You for coming to earth out of Your love for me. You are my solid ground through all things. Your love for me is my peace and my comfort. I lay before You my fears, my hopes, and my needs. Help me to take You at Your Word; Your Word is sure. Amen.
Your Turn: Close your eyes; feel the weight of yourself in your chair. Pray these words as you fix your eyes on Jesus: “You are my rock and salvation, my fortress and my strength” (based on Psalm 62:2). Be open to how God might be inviting you to put these words into action this week.
Thomas W. Sherrod, Cancer Survivor
Tom is a retired hospital chaplain who works part time for Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health System in North Carolina. He organized and facilitated a cancer support group for twenty years as part of his hospital ministry. He is married for forty-four years and enjoys his three daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren. He is a recent survivor of prostate cancer and is immensely thankful for all of God's grace and provisions through it all.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
