A Genius Plan

“Dad! Dad! I have a genius plan!” beamed my six-year old.

“You do, Jonathan!” I smiled back at him with an inquisitive look. “What is your genius plan?”

“I am going to save all my game time and bank it to use it on Saturday.” This cracked me up even more. “The game will not save and more time will allow me to win it. Isn’t that a genius plan?” He called back seeking approval.

Gleaming, I thought about it for a second. Not having responded quick enough for his comfort, he asked again. “Isn’t that a genius plan, Dad?”
“Yes, Jonathan! It is a genius plan.” I of course responded as I cracked up laughing.

It really was a genius plan. Patiently waiting and coming up with permanent solution is pretty bright. Especially when you want something very much is that true. It so much easier to get distracted, to lose our focus and miss God right before our very eyes. Unlike my son, I fall prey to this tendency much more. Not Jonathan however.

Jonathan’s intuitiveness and faithfulness is much more like the centurion whom Jesus encountered that requested for the healing of one under his command. This centurion upon the pain-staking realization that a slave in his household was not recovering from illness and was near death was unsure what to do. Word would have spread to him because of his faithfulness in helping construct the synagogue about the works of Jesus. But it was not his faith. He simply was there to help and respect the culture of the community. With the situation worsening to very dire possibilities, he was all out of options though.

All options gone. The centurion pondered the circumstances and came up with a genius plan. He sent some of the Jewish elders to go quickly to Jesus. Requesting Jesus to come visit him, he hoped that Jesus’ healing powers would make the situation better. Okay? Jesus came. But that wasn’t the genius of the moment. The genius of the moment happened upon Jesus’ arrival.

At Jesus’ arrival, the centurion came out of his house. He called to him from a distance. He knew this was not his faith. He realized that he no laurels of his own to stand on and make this request. Yet, he knew what he had heard. With that in mind, he asked him to heal his slave while standing a way off. Making it clear as he made the request to Jesus that his soldiers followed his commands even when not with him present. He was certain Jesus could and would do the same.

Now that is genius! The centurion understood that Jesus could not be all places at once and that a solution in that moment or healing in that moment did not require Jesus to be in the room. That was so much indicative of the faith that Jesus pointed it out and lived it out.

The genius of Jesus’ life is that incarnated in his death and resurrection is permanent healing. This does not require Jesus being physically present with us now. Faith inspires and informs us that through death and resurrection of Christ, healing is for us all.

Come to All Shepherds Lutheran Church this Sunday. Worship with us at 8:00AM, 9:30AM and 11:11AM in-person or on our YouTube Livestream at 9:30AM or 11:11AM. Experience the permanence of God’s healing presence in his life, death and resurrection. Experience the presence of God now and forevermore.

Shepherding the Shepherds,

Pastor Craig