Dear Reader,
Perhaps you are a visitor wondering about Salvation with thoughts that concern your soul. Thoughts about eternity, Heaven and Hell. And here I commend you that you would dwell into the labyrinths of this blessed case.
Read on this short devotion and I pray that the Lord would be gracious upon you and you may see that this labyrinth is but a narrow and straight path toward the Celestial City.
“Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.…” When Jesus heard this,… he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”—Luke 7:6-9
Observe the centurion’s humble expressions. Was it because he had had an insight into his own heart and was most unworthy in his own view?
When Christians make abject confessions, it is not that they are worse than others but that they see themselves in a clearer light. This centurion’s unworthiness was not because he had been more vicious than others but because he saw what others did not see and felt what others had not felt.
Deep as was this man’s contrition, overwhelming as was his sense of utter worthlessness, he did not doubt either the power or the willingness of Christ. He takes it for granted that such a one as Jesus must be willing to do all the good that is asked of him.
Nor is he at all dubious about our Lord’s power. The palsy that afflicted the servant was a grievous one, but it did not stagger the centurion. He felt not only that Jesus could heal it completely and at once, but that he could heal it without moving a step.
My dear friends, especially you who are under concern of soul, you feel unworthy—that is not a mistaken feeling, you are so. You are much distressed by reason of this unworthiness, but if you knew more of it you might be more distressed still.
Beloved, it has come to this:
You are so unworthy that you are shut out of every hope but Christ.
If there is anything to be done for salvation, you cannot do it.
If there is any fitness wanted, you have it not.
Christ comes to you and tells you that there is not fitness wanted for coming to him but that if you will trust him he will save you.
I think I hear you say,
“My Lord, on your atonement I cast my guilty soul, persuaded that you are able to save even such a one as I am. I am so thoroughly persuaded of the goodness of your heart that I know you will not cast away this poor trembler who takes you to be my only ground of trust.”
—C. H. Spurgeoni
Footnotes
- C. H. Spurgeon, “The Centurion’s Faith and Humility, ” in New Testament Men, bk. 2 (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1996), 61–63; Wallis, D. (2001). Take Heart: Daily devotions with the church’s great preachers (46). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. [↩]
