Turning to Christ in Crisis
June 23|Encounters with Jesus Series
June 23|Encounters with Jesus Series
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elder of the Jews to him asking him to come and heal his servant. Luke 7:2-3
Read: Luke 7:1-10
Listen: Luke 7
TODAY’S MESSAGE
A Roman centurion faced the crisis of his sick servant and needed to do something. He cared about the servant and wanted to get him help. The soldier heard about Jesus and trusted his power and authority. If anyone could heal his servant— he thought it was Jesus. After all, stories told of Jesus’s demonstrated power and authority over disease, death, weather, demons and much more. The centurion asked some Jewish elders to go to Jesus on his behalf and ask for his servant’s healing. During this crisis, he turned toward Jesus with remarkable faith.
We turn to many things when we face a crisis too. Maybe we turn to worry as we replay in our mind the worst ways the situation can turn out. Perhaps we turn toward control and self-effort to impact as much change as possible. Sometimes we hide in some way to avoid the problem. Often, it’s only after all these things that we turn toward Christ—the one who has the power and authority to change our situation or help us through it. This week’s story shows us a man who turned right to Jesus in his crisis. May we turn first to Christ in whatever situation we face for healing and restoration instead of all the other things.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Journal about your concerns or areas you need to turn toward Christ. Maybe it is the same thing you identified yesterday or something different. Write down 1-2 steps to take to turn toward Jesus in that area today.
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
June is WORSHIP. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.