Desperate for Jesus!

Luke 7:1-17

Although most of us know how fragile life can be, we don’t feel it deep inside until we find ourselves in the middle of a crisis.  We think about it, but until a sudden illness or an accident takes place we usually go throughout the day in our usual routine.  It is amazing how desperate I become when I find myself in great need---shouldn’t I be that desperate for Jesus all the time?  It is Jesus that holds my life in the palm of his hand, it is Jesus that wakes me each morning, it is Jesus who knows what each day holds for me, and it is Jesus who has the answer to every question or need that I may have.  So with all this, why would I not look to him constantly---be constantly desperate for my Savior?  The centurion was desperate for Jesus to heal his servant, a man that he truly valued and loved.  He sent word to Jesus, but then when Jesus came closer to his home, he showed not only his desperation for Jesus, but his faith in Jesus through his humbleness.  He knew that Jesus did not have to touch his friend, he knew that Jesus did not even have to be in the same place to heal him, his faith showed that he knew all the things that I described earlier---he knew that Jesus was in complete control of the situation no matter where he was, and it was the faith of the centurion that healed his servant.  Now the story of the widow and her son is a little different---we don’t find her verbally desperate for Jesus, but I have to believe that her heart was desperate for Him---so many times in difficult situations we can find no words, but our hearts are crying out to Jesus.   I find it so interesting that before Jesus raised the man from the dead that he comforted his mother first---just one more thing that reminds me just how much Jesus loves each of us.  In fact, the scripture says that his heart went out to hear and he said ‘don’t cry’. 

So while these two stories contain two of many great miracles that Jesus performed while walking this earth, it is so much more than the healing---it is the truth of who Jesus is and I not only saw the desperation of the people in these stories, I see how desperate Jesus is to gather his children in his arms---he wants us and he wants to take care of us.  It reminds me that when I hurt, Jesus hurts.  It reminds me that he is a father like no other, He is Jesus and He is My Father!