Flashbacks and Faith

I've started a reading plan with YouVersion on the subject of faith. Last night one of the readings was Matthew 8:5-13. It's the story of the centeriun man who asks Jesus to heal his servant, but as Jesus tells him he will come to heal the boy, the officer tells him no. And precedes to tell Jesus how unworthy he is to have him come to his house, yet he exemplifies faith in saying "Just say the word from where you are and my servant will be healed."

I've heard this story before, in fact many times. But as I read this story tonight, it brought back great memories of my time in Peru.

In fact I practically lived a nowaday story of this man's life. You see, my team was a particular drama site and were ministering and praying after our drama. Towards then end of our time at this particular spot a man approached us telling us a family member in great need of prayer. The family member was unable to be there, but then this gentleman recalled this story of faith from the Bible about Jesus just speaking the words without touching the Roman's servant. He told us he knew God could use our prayers to heal them, even if we were not able to travel with this man to his home.

So we prayed, standing on the faith of this man, and I think in some cases growing the faith of the teenagers on my team, as we witnessed God bringing to life the story's of the Bible in an extremely tangible way.

And as I think back to this story now, and my word for 2012, my prayer is God teach me to expand my faith, just like that summer many years ago, Lord expand my faith.