Amazing Faith
Did you notice the response of Jesus to the Centurion’s faith? Jesus “marveled,” was astonished, was amazed at his faith. Why? The Centurion was a soldier, an officer in the Roman army. Likely, he was a Roman, a Gentile. Yet, he had greater faith in Jesus than did the Jews who were supposedly awaiting Him, the Messiah. The Centurion’s faith was solid, strong, unwavering. He was convinced that Jesus had the power and authority to heal his servant, and he left with nothing but the assurance of Jesus that his servant would be healed.
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When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to 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 this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. (Matt. 8:5-10, ESV).
Did you notice the response of Jesus to the Centurion’s faith? Jesus “marveled,” was astonished, was amazed at his faith. Why? The Centurion was a soldier, an officer in the Roman army. Likely, he was a Roman, a Gentile. Yet, he had greater faith in Jesus than did the Jews who were supposedly awaiting Him, the Messiah. The Centurion’s faith was solid, strong, unwavering. He was convinced that Jesus had the power and authority to heal his servant, and he left with nothing but the assurance of Jesus that his servant would be healed.
When Jesus looks at your faith, does He marvel? Is He amazed? Is He astonished? When He looks at your faith, what does He see? Does He see someone that just believes that His existence is a possibility, or a mere acknowledgment that He lived on earth? Does He see someone that follows Him when it is convenient? Does He see someone that follows Him because it is beneficial, like those that followed to be fed? Does He see someone that follows because that’s what the crowd, his friends or family does? Or, does He see someone like the Centurion, one who believes in Him wholeheartedly, one that trusts Him, one that is willingly to let Him be the Lord and Master of his life?
How did the Centurion come to have such a great faith? He apparently had heard of Jesus and possibly even seen Jesus in action. Maybe he had watched Jesus heal the leper mentioned in the previous verses. Whatever his source, he had come to know Jesus. We too can come to know this Jesus, if we will read, study and meditate on what we are told in God’s Holy Word.
Heavenly Father, help us to have a clear image of your Son Jesus, so we may come to know Him and wholeheartedly trust Him.
- contributed by my dad, John Curtis
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