January 26 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Luke 7:1–10

Devotional

In Luke 7 people say to the Lord Jesus that the Roman centurion is worthy to have his servant healed. What a blessing it is when people give a good testimony of God’s people. This causes respect for God and His work in people’s lives. What testimony can others give of you?

We do not only find in Luke 7 what people say about the Roman centurion, but also what he says of himself. What does this centurion testify of himself? In this passage we hear the most beautiful and at the same time the most truthful testimony a man could ever give of himself: “I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.”

If the centurion had heard what the people said about him, he would have said, “Stop saying that I am worthy of all this.” This self-testimony was not a mere outward, formal speech, but this was an expression of true self-knowledge. He was a military officer in the imperial Roman army and soldiers jumped to attention before him. At the same time he knew himself to be nothing but a worm before God. Regardless of the position we have in daily life, we also must have the centurion’s self-perception before God. In light of the purity of Christ, we recognize our sinfulness. People considered the centurion to be a worthy man but he could justly disqualify himself. As the centurion, we must see ourselves unworthy of God’s blessing. Then we learn, that although we are unworthy to have God enter our dirty and dilapidated lives, we cannot live without God. You see that according to your estimation your own life is like an uninhabitable house. That is a matter of sorrow and guilt.

May your life reflect an attitude of humility and recognition of your unworthiness. The guilt and sorrow of the centurion’s life should be mirrored in our lives: “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.” The Lord has never cast out such people.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.