Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend, written by Pastor Ryun Chang, was originally posted on February 22, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing” (2)

Matthew 8:11

“Lord,” the centurion said, “just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority” 

Once, when disciples played a pivotal role in implementing the great miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 men with 5 breads and 2 fish, they appeared to get a big head (mind you, their head was already large, seeing that they always argued about who was the greatest among them.)  Though Jesus blessed the food, which resulted in its increase, people received it from the hands of the disciples who distributed the food in an orderly fashion (Mk. 6:40). After hearing repeated “thank-yous” from the grateful people, I guess my head will swell up as well (since it has been known to swell up on far less).  

As evening came, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.  Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (Mt. 14:15). Notice the imperative form of speech that they used in order to tell Jesus what He ought to do: “Send (apoluson) the crowds away.” When considering that the “imperative mood in the Greek expresses actions which are to be realized by the exercise of the will of one person upon that of another” (Summers 1950:112), their statement revealed a self-confident attitude as in, “Jesus, we know better; you need to do this.”  

Suffice it to say for now, we don’t command Jesus; He commands us! We don’t order Jesus around; He gives orders to us!  Ironically, an outsider (the Roman centurion) understood that principle better than the insiders. Instead of asking Jesus (or shall I say, commanding, for that was this officer’s customary way) to come to his house to heal his man who was gravely ill, the centurion said to the Lord, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

So, don’t get too complacent and don’t be over-confident.  Jesus is the Lord—not us—he commands us and we obey him.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 7

Prayer: Lord, teach me to understand my role as your subject and servant.  Remind me never to tell you what to do; instead, I shall always submit to your perfect will.  Thank you. Amen.