Scripture
Mark 15:39
“And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Observation
The crowd who had demanded his crucifixion saw Jesus as nothing more than a side show. As he suffered on the cross, they said ‘wait and see if Elijah shows up to rescue him!’ They were hoping for a spectacle, and a moment of entertainment–but they didn’t care about seeing truth.
The centurion, on the other hand, was familiar with death. He had doubtless seen many men die, probably many by his own hand. He wasn’t looking for a spectacle or a show, but instead he saw Jesus: The King of the Jews, the King of kings, the Son of God–the man whose execution he was supervising. He wasn’t even necessarily a Godly man, but he had eyes to see the King.
Application
In most of life, I see what I’m looking for. If I’m looking for problems, I’ll see problems. If I’m looking for beauty, I’ll see beauty. The flip side is that I tend NOT to see the things that I’m not looking for!
It’s a scary thought in a way–that I could be looking at the Son of God, and not actually see him. I don’t want to go through life like the crowd there at the cross: looking for scandal and entertainment, watching for something to amuse me…and missing the miracle of grace happening right in front of me.
I would rather be the centurion instead–flawed, imperfect, sinful…but with eyes to see the King. Today I choose to look for the Savior–in conversations, in the situations of life, even in the moments of scandal, tragedy, and death: He is there, he is gracious and kind, and his power is on display for those with eyes to see it.
Prayer
God, I want to see you! Not just for my own entertainment, but so I can experience your power and your grace! Open my eyes to notice what you are doing today, even when the bloodthirsty crowd is eagerly looking for a spectacle.
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