FAITH THAT AMAZES

I love reading words spoken by Jesus. For me, it’s a worship experience, imagining being there in His earthly presence and hearing Him speak. I often think about watching His expressions and body language as He interacted with those around Him. Oh, how I would have loved standing close to the physical Jesus and hearing The Voice that certainly spoke with such gentle authority.

Matthew 8 records an encounter between Jesus and an officer in the Roman army. Jesus had been on the mountain teaching. As He came down, crowds began to follow Him. Probably anyone in the crowd that day was surprised as the centurion (who was also Gentile) approached Jesus. While others surely considered him unworthy, Jesus responded with compassion.

Have YOU ever felt unworthy to approach Jesus? Unworthy because of incompetence, faithlessness, or sin? I have. And I’m humbly thankful to know that the compassion of Jesus is not reserved for a select few, but for everyone – even me. The HOPE He gives is based on His Worthiness, not ours.

Try to capture the scene unfolding as you read the following passage.

Now when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”

(Matthew 8:5-10 NKJV)

When Jesus heard it, He marveled. Some other translations say, He was amazed.

I long to have the kind of faith that amazes God.

In fact, I’m becoming more and more caught up in that longing. I trust Him, and I want Him to know it! Even though I have a particular answer in mind, I want Him to marvel when I faithfully trust His response – even before I know what it is.

And, I’m noticing that the longing to please Him is - gradually - surpassing the longing to have my prayer answered my way . . .

Wow, how did He do that!?

For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ which ascends to God . . . (2 Corinthians 2:15 AMP)

Together In Faith,