Hello friends! Recently I’ve been reading in the book of Matthew. It’s really so refreshing to just soak in the teachings of Jesus while He was here on earth. There were so many powerful parables and miracles during His ministry, but one in particular that strikes me is the faith of the Roman official in Matthew 8.

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”  But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith…” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Matthew 8:5-10, 13 ESV

Woah! The centurion really had it right. He knew that Jesus had such authority over sickness and suffering that He could just say the word and it would disappear. If we think back to Genesis 1, when God created the world, He literally just spoke things into existence and BAM – they appeared (but seriously, how cool!). He has such power and authority over all creation that He can just speak and the task is done. Another example is when Jesus and His disciples were sailing on a stormy night (Mark 4:35-41). The waters were raging and the boat was inevitably going to go under from the weight of the water coming overboard. The disciples panicked, and because they had nothing else to do and nowhere else to turn, they called on Jesus.

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

Mark 4:39 NIV

All Jesus had to do was speak and the storm completely stopped. The storm didn’t worry Him – He created the waters and the winds. He also has authority over every storm that is raging in our lives right now. Do you feel like you’re about to go under? Do you feel paralyzed? Do you feel hopeless? God is greater than any trial you are facing right now. He loves you and He wants to help you! Let us have boundless faith in His power and authority over all evil and sin and death and suffering. He is the omniscient, omnipresent, all-powerful, one true God – and He is for us (Romans 8:31). His Words go forth in power (Hebrews 4:12). He has provided us with the Bible so we can always have His Words to guide us and direct us and point us to Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Let’s pray and ask God to give us opportunities to live out our faith and share it with others!