Our faith amazes Jesus. Read that again. Childlike faith and trust in the One we say we love because He first loved us is amazing to Jesus! Okay then, how does Jesus feel when we doubt, wonder if He hears us, fear for the unknown, constantly think about our comfort, and obsess over our perceived needs?
HOLY PAUSE
I wonder how many time I have made Jesus smile over my faith?
I also wonder how many times He has said to me, “Susan, stop worrying and just trust Me.”
Matthew 8
The Faith of the Centurion
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
GOING DEEPER…
A centurion was an officer over one hundred men in the Roman army. Every centurion mentioned in the Gospels and Acts was a gentleman of high character and sense of duty, and this man was no exception. The fact that he was concerned about a lowly servant-boy indicates this.
It would seem that everything about this man would prevent him from coming to Jesus. He was a professional soldier, and Jesus was a Man of peace. He was a Gentile, and Jesus was a Jew. But this soldier had one thing working for him: he was a man of great faith.
This centurion understood that Jesus, like himself, was under authority. All Christ had to do was speak the word and the disease would obey Him the way a soldier obeyed his officer.
Twice in the Gospels it is recorded that Jesus marveled at great faith: Here, at the great faith of the Gentile centurion, and in Mark 6:6, at the great unbelief of the Jews.
Matthew recorded two “Gentile” miracles: this one and the healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman (Matt. 15:21–28). In both cases, the Lord was impressed with their great faith. This is an early indication that the Jews would not believe, but the Gentiles would. Also, in both of these miracles, our Lord healed from a distance. Distance does not matter to God. He Created all, is in all, and in control of all in this world and in the next. This is proof…in case you needed it.
Jesus, sent from God to earth, performed miracles so that humans could see and experience the glory of God. All that Jesus did on earth was so that the lost would believe and come back to God. Jesus is the link to God because He is God in human form, seeking to save the lost without God.“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16, NIV
Believe and be saved. This is the beginning of authentic faith in the One who saves us.
HOLY PAUSEDo I really believe that what I believe is really real?
Oh Lord,
I pray my faith amazes you today as I go about my daily tasks. May You be on my mind as much as I am in your mind. I want to hear Your Voice above all others. Lord, what amazes me is the relentless, unchanging, unconditional love you have for us…for me. Knowing this, believing and realizing the depth of this special Love relationship between us helps me to love others like you love me. It also keeps my mind at peace. Yes, continue to transform me to be all your created me to be…then do…in Your Name for your Glory.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 