Sandcastle Kings By Rich Wilkerson, Jr. Sample

He's Trying to Get to You

This is fascinating. Before Jesus reached the centurion’s house, the centurion sent some friends to tell Jesus not to come. Just three verses earlier, the centurion had sent his friends to beg Jesus to come. What gives? I think the centurion was like some of us. He knew he needed Jesus’ help, but he also knew he did not deserve Jesus’ help.

The closer Jesus gets to us, the more we realize just how far we are from him, how far short we fall of his purity, wisdom, and holiness. When the centurion realized that Jesus was getting close, he panicked. He knew he was not worthy. By his own words we know he did not deserve to have Jesus come under his roof. “What if Jesus comes inside? What if he sees what a mess my house is? What if he sees what a mess my life is?” It breaks my heart to know that many people think this way. Jesus wants to come to their house, but when he gets close they panic and send him away

Maybe you have been through some rough stuff in your life. Maybe you are not proud of all the decisions you have made. I know I’m not. You know you haven’t measured up to God’s standard, but that does not mean you are not valuable to God. The fact is, despite your choices, despite your past, despite your wrinkles, your value in God’s eyes has not changed. Like the centurion, you may not be worthy of God, but you are still priceless to him. And he alone gets to decide your worth.

Jesus has made himself available to you. You might not feel worthy to come to him, but he is trying to get to you. He loves you and came to this earth to save you, to give you a future and a hope. Jesus went to the centurion because he loved him. It wasn’t about the centurion. It was about Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.