As Jesus began his ministry, hoards of people flocked to him. One, a leper, said “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.” This was not a question, it was a statement of fact. The man believed it. There’s no element of doubt in his words.
At Capernaum, the Roman officer with the sick servant did even better than that. When Jesus offered to go to the servant, the officer said, “Just give the order, and my servant will get well.” He knew Jesus didn’t even have to be there. Furthermore, once Jesus pronounced the servant healed, the officer had no proof that it had in fact happened, but he went on his way in complete confidence nonetheless.
What is this mysterious element called Faith? Why do some people have it, and some not? Why do some of us have faith, but not a bold confidence in that faith? The leper and the Roman officer were not simply *hoping* that Jesus could do the job. They KNEW it.
We need a confident faith. Not just the theoretical confidence that we have in our heads when we think about our beliefs, but the confidence that keeps our chins up and and feet steady on a day-to-day basis, regardless of our circumstances. A faith that serves us “where the rubber meets the road.”
Thank God He is worthy of that kind of faith.
from Mark, Chapter 8, Good News Bible.
