There are many commendable characteristics...
Illustration
There are many commendable characteristics of the Centurion, but one of the greatest was his trust in the power of Jesus' Word. Just a word from the Master would be sufficient to heal his servant -- that was his faith. In this miracle story, we see the power of the Word.
Clarence Forsburg tells about a mother with five children who became so desperate, because of health and financial problems, she decided life was not worth the struggle. She took her youngest child, a preschool girl, into the bedroom of their tiny house. Carefully she cinched the windows with rags and newspapers, and then turned on the gas heater without lighting it. She laid down on the bed with her arm around her small daughter. She could hear the gas escaping and she also became aware of another sound. Suddenly, it occurred to her that she had forgotten to turn off the radio in the next room. For some reason it seemed important to her. She got up to do so. Someone on the radio was singing an old Gospel hymn: "Oh, what peace we often forfeit; Oh, what needless pain we bear -- All because we do not carry, Ev'rything to God in prayer!"
In that instant, she realized the mistake she was making. She had forgotten the resources of her own faith. She rushed back into the bedroom, turned off the gas, and opened the windows. Then she picked up the little girl and held her tight. When she spoke about it later, she said, "I began to pray. I did not pray for help. I prayed a prayer of gratitude to God for his blessings. I thanked him for life. I thanked him for five wonderful children. I thanked him for proclaiming his Word through that song on the radio."
The Word proclaimed through song over the airwaves, saved the life of that mother and her young daughter! There is Power in the Word!
Clarence Forsburg tells about a mother with five children who became so desperate, because of health and financial problems, she decided life was not worth the struggle. She took her youngest child, a preschool girl, into the bedroom of their tiny house. Carefully she cinched the windows with rags and newspapers, and then turned on the gas heater without lighting it. She laid down on the bed with her arm around her small daughter. She could hear the gas escaping and she also became aware of another sound. Suddenly, it occurred to her that she had forgotten to turn off the radio in the next room. For some reason it seemed important to her. She got up to do so. Someone on the radio was singing an old Gospel hymn: "Oh, what peace we often forfeit; Oh, what needless pain we bear -- All because we do not carry, Ev'rything to God in prayer!"
In that instant, she realized the mistake she was making. She had forgotten the resources of her own faith. She rushed back into the bedroom, turned off the gas, and opened the windows. Then she picked up the little girl and held her tight. When she spoke about it later, she said, "I began to pray. I did not pray for help. I prayed a prayer of gratitude to God for his blessings. I thanked him for life. I thanked him for five wonderful children. I thanked him for proclaiming his Word through that song on the radio."
The Word proclaimed through song over the airwaves, saved the life of that mother and her young daughter! There is Power in the Word!
