David Bahn – Reflections

Click here for an audio version of this podcast

I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today’s readings are Matthew 8:1-11; Psalm 107; Jeremiah 30; Malachi 1.

Matthew 8:1-11

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. ² And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” ³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

⁵ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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.” ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus heals the centurion’s servant he does so from a distance. The centurion expresses great faith in Jesus saying that he knows how authority works. If you have authority, you can command and it will be done…or else. (More on that in a moment.) The action of Jesus reflects God’s word through the prophet Jeremiah.

“Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the LORD,
    nor be dismayed, O Israel;
for behold, I will save you from far away,
    and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
    and none shall make him afraid. -Jeremiah 30:11

When Jesus heals the man with leprosy he does it as close as possible. He touches the man, and he is healed. This is an expression of God’s good will, and in response to the leper’s words, “If you will, you can make me clean.”

In both cases great faith is on display. One expresses it in submission to the will of God. The other expresses it by confidence in Jesus’ ultimate authority as well as his good will.

But there is another side to the near and far reach of God. For Jeremiah records the judgment of God for those far away from him.

Behold the storm of the LORD!
    Wrath has gone forth,
a whirling tempest;
    it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
²⁴ The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back
    until he has executed and accomplished
    the intentions of his mind.
In the latter days you will understand this. – Jeremiah 30:23-24

God’s hand is not so weak that he cannot act; he can do whatever pleases him. And though we are not only to fear God – we are to love and trust him as well – we must not ignore his judgment against evil. And if ever we feel far from God, we can call to him for he is able to save from nearby or far away.

And just so we’re clear, we do not go to God under our own authority. We go under the authority of Jesus, knowing that he has died for our sins, and forgives us, and welcomes all who call upon him in faith.