Just Say The Word

 Matthew 8:5-13 (NASB) 

⁵  And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him,
⁶  and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented."
⁷  Jesus *said to him, "I will come and heal him."
⁸  But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
⁹  "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."
¹⁰  Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.
¹¹  "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;
¹²  but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
¹³  And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very moment.

What a powerful story. Did you catch what the centurion said? "Just say the word and my servant shall be healed." Just say the word. 

There is more power in the spoken word of God the Father and Jesus His Son, than all the other power in the world combined. Case in point. With the spoken word God created the heavens and the earth. Just spoken words. Who else can do that? Nobody! Go into the kitchen tonight and say, "Supper come forth in faith." Or try, "House, build yourself!" Maybe, "Machine or motor be repaired." 

All God had to say is, "Let there be...." Poof. We had a universe, solar systems, light, land mass, water, and all the rest. Just say the word. 

Jesus spoke words like these to minister to people. "I am willing be cleansed." "Be it done according to your faith." "The child is not dead but only sleeping." "Lazarus come forth." "Hush. Be still." "Stretch out your hand." "Take up your pallet and walk."

I don't know what you are facing today. I know one spoken word from Jesus can change everything. He can change the most exasperating circumstances. He can redeem the most down and out life. He can do anything He desires with no more than a spoken word. 

The centurion believed so much in Jesus' authority, that he knew Jesus did not have to show up in person for the miracle to happen. He believed all Jesus had to do was to say the word. 

Do you believe that? All He has to do is the say the appropriate word for you and all can change? I do. 

Maybe the most surprising part of this passage is found in verse 10. When Jesus heard the centurion listen and watch how He responded. "He marveled." "I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel." 

Wow! The fact that Jesus marveled means that Jesus was astonished and amazed. It also means that He admired the faith He saw in this man. Can any of  us say Jesus has ever marveled or admired our faith? What a statement. It all came when the centurion said, "Just say the word." 

Jesus, I ask you to just say the word in each of our lives. You know the needs. You know the critical crisis. You know what word to speak, where it needs to be spoken, and when to speak it. We trust You to speak with authority into our needy lives. Amen!