super premium
"Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or can Sarah give birth at ninety?" —Genesis 17:17
Gas stations offer different octanes in their gas. We can get regular, premium, or super premium. This is also true in our life with the Lord. Abram was blessed with a son, Ishmael. Abram was willing to settle for this regular blessing, but the Lord wanted to give him the premium of the miraculous birth of Isaac from the ninety-year-old Sarah (Gn 17:17-18).
The leper in today's Gospel reading asked the Lord for premium, that is, a miraculous healing (Mt 8:2). However, the Lord told another healed leper that He wanted to give him more than a premium healing. He wanted to give Him the super premium of salvation (Lk 17:19).
Are you settling for blessings, when the Lord wants to give you miracles and salvation? Are you depriving yourself by receiving only miracles from God? Are you receiving good or better, but not best? Let God be God! Let Jesus be the Savior! To see and love Jesus in heaven forever we need more than blessings and miracles. We need salvation!
Prayer: Father, may I let You do more than I could ever ask for or imagine (Eph 3:20).
Promise: "Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him and said, 'I do will it. Be cured.' Immediately the man's leprosy disappeared." —Mt 8:3
Praise: Although the First Martyrs of Rome, young and old, soldiers, peasants, nobility, and merchants, died long ago, they are inspiring us still.
Reference: (For a related teaching on Obeying God, order, view or download our leaflet or order, listen to or download our CD 62-3 or DVD 62 on our website or order our tape on audio AV 62-3 or video V-62.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 22, 2017
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