In the beginning of the 7th chapter of Luke we are introduced to a centurion that had a servant. That centurion's servant was sick and ready to die. This centurion's servant was as good as dead and ready to die. He surely would have died. When the centurion heard of Jesus he sent beseeching Him to heal the servant. Shall we not take this as an example of prayer? Shall we not see this as the faithful prayer to Christ of one interceding, making supplication for a beloved brother in the household of faith? The elders of the Jews bore record of the centurion's godly works. They boasted of how he had built them a synagogue and loved the nation. I don't believe that the centurion requested the elders make mention of these facts. This seems out of character with the centurion but right in character with the Pharisaical Jews who believed they were God's chosen and peculiar people boasting of their good works.  But this centurion was a peculiar people a chosen generation and part of Christ's holy nation of the elect. He was born of God as is evidenced by the fact that our Lord would later say that He had not found so great a faith in all of Israel (Luke 7:9).

The centurion would later send another message conveying his sentiments. He conveyed the fact that he felt himself unworthy that Christ should even enter under his roof. Neither did the centurion feel worthy to come unto the Lord personally. He only desired that Christ say a word and the servant shall be healed. Christ need not walk the sands of time to heal the sick and raise the dead. He is still as powerful today as he was yesterday and before there was a day. The prayer of faith didn't raise the dead. The prayer of faith saved the sick but the Lord raised the sick up. (See James 5:15) Was the centurion's soul not afflicted and sick as well?  It is the same Lord that was working in the centurion causing him to raise up that prayer of faith. The Scriptures say that the centurion's servant was made whole. If only one could explain that enormity of the phrase to be made whole!

Who caused the spark or lit the flame
That burns within the fruitful heart
Who seeks The Prince of Life, The Just
That speaks a prayer up out across
To Him that stretches past all time
And hears the pressing patient cry
The silent splashing of the tears
The flood from saints throughout the years
No country person place or thing
Shall break the heart or bend the knee
Or rend the stony heart from men
Or cause one to be born again
He whom descended from above
Answers prayers pouring down His love
Upon the humbled meek and small
He raised them all before they called.

9/30/2005 Elder M. Hoogasian