Life has a way of reminding us all how desperately dependent we are upon God. We may have brief moments of feeling like we’ve got everything handled until we don’t. Paul knew this well. At one point in his missionary travels he and his companions endured a trial that brought them all to this point of desperation.

“We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)

Their powerlessness in the face of affliction led to despair, but despair produced desperate reliance upon God that expressed itself in faith and prayer. This isn’t just something super-spiritual apostles do.

In our passage in Luke this Sunday we’ll see a very unlikely man respond in a similar way. A man who understood authority, who had significant authority, was brought to the point of desperation. But he’d heard about Jesus, and his desperation produced a humble faith that made Jesus marvel.

Jason Oakes will be preaching from Luke 7:1-10 this Sunday and Kenny Clark will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s bring all our needs to Jesus “the name that charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease.”

See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!

---

Song Link of the Week

All My Ways Are Known to You by CityAlight

No trial has come beyond Your hand
No step I walk beyond Your plan
The path is dark outside my view
Still all my ways are known to You