Matthew 27:54 (NIV) “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Matthew tells us “when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Luke expands on this saying “when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”
Luke 23:47 (NKJV) “So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”
The man who presided over Jesus’ execution, the man who ordered the nails to be driven into His hands and feet, became the first person to become a believer after Jesus’ death.
What an event of God’s divine grace! God saved one of those primarily responsible for the murder of His Son. A man who watched Jesus be scourged, who watched his soldiers mock and abuse Him, suddenly cries out in terror, realising that He has killed an innocent man. His cry of terror is also an expression of faith as he confesses his new-found knowledge that Jesus was the Son of God.
What an amazing change of events. The same man who was responsible for the death of Jesus made a turn. What a change of events. This man could have decided to fall into the trap of guilt, not forgiving himself for what he has done, instead the Bible says he gloried God.
Deuteronomy 30:15-18 (NIV) “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
You have a choice today. You can let the events of life pull you down, punish yourself, let guilt fill your heart, or use the moment to glorify God.