Some people are hard on themselves. They remember all the things they've done wrong and conclude that they aren't worthy of God's help. Unworthy of healing. Unworthy of salvation. Guilty as charged. Are they right?
I reflected on Luke 7 this morning. Have you read it lately? It starts by talking about a Roman Officer called a Centurion (it means he has high ranking). He had other soldiers and slaves who reported to him. Anything he told them to do, they had to do it. Jump! How high, sir? This guy is mentioned because one of his slaves - some translations read "a highly valued slave" (someone he really cared about) - was so horribly sick that they were almost dead.
Study Tip: Don't get hung up on the slave part - This isn't Revolutionary War style slavery. They had rights, paychecks, and could often quit. Think of it more like a contract employee. It's not exactly that either. But we're closer with that in mind.
(If you're looking for a Study Bible, this is a good one (paidlink).
If you want a Jewish rabbi with healing powers to heal your friend, and you know Jews don't hang out with Roman soldiers like you, what do you do? You send some Jews. Powerful Jews. The kind of Jews most likely to convince Jesus to help your friend. So that's what he did (v 3).
Have you ever asked someone else to pray for you?
More specifically, have you ever asked your pastor to pray for you? People ask me to pray for them all the time. And sometimes it's because they think my prayers work better than theirs. Do I get what I pray for more than you?
James 5:16 reads, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." Does this mean the prayer of an unrighteous person is less powerful, that it gets less results? What do you think?
I like thie prayer shirt because it prompts interaction with others, even strangers, who may want you to pray for them.
The messengers requesting Jesus' help get into persuasion mode. They didn't exactly say, "God, if you get me out of this mess, I promise I will...", but you'll see what I mean. They said, "If anyone deserves your help, he does" (v 4).
Study Tip: Check various translations - Even if you don't know Hebrew or Greek, even if you don't own a bunch of different Bibles, you can use biblegateway.com to view about sixty English translations all at once for free. Just go to biblegateway.com and search for a specific verse (it doesn't work for chapters or multiple verses at one time). When the verse is displayed, beneath it you'll find a link that reads, "[Bible Address] in all English translations." Voila!
In this case, you can see how many translation teams use deserves and worthy in the descripton of this Centurion.
I wonder what made them think he was worthy.
- Was it because he was good? moral?
- Had he done something generous?
- In comparison to others, was this guy not so bad?
Whatever their line of reasoning was, they said he deserved God's help. "So Jesus went with him," (v 6). I mean, not necessarily because he was actually worthy. But one way or another, Jesus went to help.
The next part is confusing.
It says, "just before they arrived at the house [where the sick girl was], the [Centurion] officer sent some friends to say, 'Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy' of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you'" (v 6-7).
So is he worthy or not?!
Depends on who you ask, it sounds like.
The same feelings reside inside us too, don't they? Sometimes we walk boldly into the throneroom of God and lay out our list. Okay God, here are all the things I want you to do. It sounds a bit like we're the boss telling the employee (or slave) what to do. Kind of arrogant, isn't it?
This reminds me of Ecclesiastes 5:1-2. It reads, "As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few." Zip it.
Let me make it clear...
You are not worthy. Full stop.
Neither am I. We never will be. We all have sin. We've all separated ourselves from God. We've broken his laws, disregarded his commands, and done our own stupid thing. Every. Single. One of us. Without exception.
Stop making demands of God. Stop getting mad at him for not doing what you wanted. He doesn't owe you or me anything.
If you're wondering whether you're worthy (of God's help, healing, or salvation), the clear answer is no. You're not.
But here's the good news.
Jesus didn't evaluate whether that guy was worthy. It's not a factor in his decision-making. None of us are worthy. So if worthiness was the determining factor, none of us would ever get a "yes" answer to our requests for help from God. Ever.
Why is this good news? Because his answer to our requests for help isn't based on our worthiness, it means we can get help. He helps us, not because we are worthy, but because he is good. Read that again. Seriously dude, read it again.
My buddy Jeremy told me about these bracelets that tell you a Bible verse when you tap them on your phone (paidlink).
For those who want to know what happened, Luke tells us the girl was completely healed. Unworthy. And healed.
There's a lot more to say about prayer. I taught a whole series on prayer that may interest you, especially the one about Why God doesn't answer some prayers. Check it out.
What about you? Have you wrestled with feelings of unworthiness in your relationship with God? Or have you seen how his goodness has shined through despite your flaws? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Let’s explore together how we can approach God with humility, not based on our worthiness, but on his unchanging love.
