Day 38: Surely This Is the Son of God | 40 Days of Focus

Day 38: Surely This Is the Son of God | 40 Days of Focus

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When we consider the Centurion at the cross, we can surmise a few things about him: He was a pagan, battle-hardened, and particularly callous because he was in charge of the brutal job of torture and crucifixion. There is probably no less likely candidate for conversion than this man.

But while he had seen the most vicious, demeaning side of life (and death), this day he was witnessing something he had never seen before. He had probably seen manhunts, but none where the quarry came towards them, then commanded . . . commanded the release of His men, and the captors complied! He’d never seen a prisoner speak in ways that caused the knees of soldiers to buckle, or touch the wound of an enemy to heal it. He had witnessed men plead and cry and beg for mercy but never one who submitted—not with cowardice, but with dignity, even in the most humiliating of circumstances. He had heard men curse and revile, but he’d never had one forgive him as he ordered the nails pounded into his hands, or speak tender words of encouragement to one dying beside him.

Never before had a darkness fallen upon the earth for three hours, nor a victim have the strength left to cry out his last breath, nor the ground quake at the cry. Nothing he had experienced before could explain what he’d seen today, except the revelation, “Surely, this is the Son of God!”

Consider

  • What revelation opened your eyes to who Jesus is? What did you see in Him that proved to you that you needed Him?
  • As you have considered Jesus these past few weeks, what fresh things have you seen about Him? About who He is and what He has done?

Pray

Lord, for those of us whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit, seeing all You’ve done can lead us only to the conclusion that You are the Son of God. Teach us to look at You more intently and learn more of what it means that You are the beloved Son of God, so we can honor and worship You more fittingly and follow You more faithfully.

by Sheri Cook, Director of Special Ministries