(Click here to read the passage)
We all seem to have a lot to pray about lately. Safety in a pandemic, mercy during difficult circumstances, provision when we don’t have enough. It’s almost overwhelming at times. We pray for many different reasons. We don’t always think of it this way, but when we pray, we’re appealing to a higher authority for what we need or desire. An anonymous Roman centurion can teach us a lot about that kind of prayer.
Centurions were interesting people in the Roman culture. Most of them were soldiers who had come from the common people. They had worked their way from obscure beginnings into a place of relative power and prosperity through violence and obedience. And they had authority over the lives of around a hundred other people. Today, we might be tempted to call them “middle management,” but they probably had more direct power than typical modern, middle-managers. Sometimes, it was the power over life and death (as in the case of deserters). Centurions operated under orders from their command chain, living under the same stricture that they exerted over others. When the centurion in this passage sent to Jesus for help, he understood what he was asking, much more so than others (as indicated by Jesus’ response to his request). He understood both his relative position to Jesus, and how much the life of his servant depended on both his and Jesus’ decisions. That he cared about his servant was an indicator of his heart – he cared enough about the life of one whom he owned to appeal to a higher authority on his behalf.
He had also taken the unusual steps to do things that were of benefit to the Jews. I find it odd that the Jews talk about him “deserving” Jesus’ help. Jesus had helped so many others who obviously didn’t deserve his kindness. Did the Jews take up on the centurion’s behalf because they thought Jesus’ kindness was generally reserved for the Israelites alone? Or were they continuing to operate on the assumption that God shows kindness only to those who work hard enough at their religion to deserve his notice and help? We don’t know, but either way, it shows how much the centurion had impressed them with his kindness.
The true tale is told when the centurion sends a messenger to Jesus telling him about what he thinks he deserves. He doesn’t think he is worthy to have someone of Jesus’ authority come all the way to his place to help. Nor does he think he deserves to stand in Jesus’ presence to request his help. He only hopes that Jesus would exercise his authority to command healing for his servant. He gets it. He understands where he stands, and where Jesus stands!
Unlike the Jews and the “crowds,” this Roman soldier understands that Jesus has authority over disease (among other things), and at his word, it must obey and be banished. He appeals to Jesus as he might a commanding officer to carry out a request over which the higher-ranking officer has life and death decision-making power. He knows his request can be refused, and that he is at Jesus’ mercy to respond to his request.
The first thing that comes to mind here is how this reflects on our own view of Jesus and his authority. It will show most clearly in our prayer life – the part of our lives in which we appeal to our “higher authority” for sometimes life-and-death decisions.
Do we approach him with our appeals because we think we deserve his response, and avoid him if we don’t think so?
Do we recognize his genuine authority over life and death to the point where we trust that he will do, in his mercy, whatever is best, regardless of what we want?
Do we send up our requests in vain hope that somehow he will grant our request out of whimsical choice?
Perhaps the most basic question is whether we consider him to be in charge or us when we ask? If he appears to refuse our request, we might be tempted to think he didn’t do so because we didn’t deserve his kindness. Perhaps those are the times when we learn to trust that he chooses to do otherwise in his wisdom, authority, and love.
Ultimately, it’s all about whether we believe that Jesus is who he claims to be – Loving Lord of All. If we know we haven’t walked under Jesus’ authority, we may have reason to doubt that he will exercise his authority on our behalf, but that’s not how Jesus works. As we learn from his interaction with the centurion, Jesus chooses to do things out of love, compassion, and mercy for anyone who comes to him, deserving or not. We have to trust in his love-soaked authority, and in that trust (faith), accept his response.
How is your prayer life?
Do you seek Jesus as a higher authority, trusting in his loving response? Rejoice and be glad! You will have an answer and like the centurion, you can trust that your higher authority will bring about the best result.
Or do you approach prayer like you’re going shopping, laying out a list of items you want, and taking what you can afford using your own efforts as the collateral? God offers you so much more! Trust in his authority and his love, and look forward to his answer. It will be better than you could ask for.