When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” 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. 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.” 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. 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. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 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.
—Matthew 8:5-13

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.  Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
—Mark 6:4-6

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Amazed by Faith
By Jennifer Kane

O Awesome God over all creation,
Could You truly be amazed by me?
The One who crafted time and space,
Finds wonder in my frailty?

How, O Lord, the curator of all,
Could You marvel at one so small?
I turn to Your Living Word,
The Word made flesh, my Christ, my King.

In Scripture, only twice You stood amazed—
At great faith and at great lack of it.
How can I emulate the centurion’s path,
Humble in spirit despite worldly acclaim?

He knew where true authority lay,
Appealing to You with unwavering trust.
May I, too, see Your sovereign might,
And never let my heart grow dull with doubt.

Lord, guard me from familiarity’s snare,
That I may not overlook Your presence here.
For miracles bloom in the soil of belief,
But are withered by the drought of disbelief.

Let not the wonders of life be snuffed out,
Nor Your hand’s work cut short by doubt.
May my faith, ever steadfast, rise,
A beacon that reflects Your light.

In awe of You, my soul remains,
Amazed by Your love, Your grace, Your name.

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Scriptures: Matthew 8:3-13, Mark 6:4-6

Have you ever wondered what it takes to amaze Jesus? In the Gospels, there are two instances where Jesus marveled: one at great faith and the other at a great lack of faith. As followers of Christ, we desire to be like the centurion whose faith made Jesus marvel, not like those in Nazareth who caused Jesus to marvel at their unbelief.

In Matthew 8, we encounter a Roman centurion who approached Jesus with a remarkable request. His servant was paralyzed and in great suffering. When Jesus offered to go and heal the servant, the centurion responded with profound humility and faith: “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). This declaration of faith amazed Jesus. The centurion understood the authority of Jesus’ word and trusted it completely.

In contrast, Mark 6 describes Jesus visiting His hometown of Nazareth, where the people were astonished by His wisdom and miracles but doubted His identity. Their familiarity with Jesus as “the carpenter, the son of Mary” led to skepticism. As a result, Jesus could do few miracles there, and He marveled at their lack of faith.

The centurion recognized Jesus’ authority over sickness and believed that His word alone could heal. This kind of faith acknowledges that Jesus is sovereign and capable of doing immeasurably more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

The centurion’s faith was not based on what he could see but on who Jesus is. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

In Nazareth, Jesus was limited in performing miracles due to the people’s unbelief. This shows that a lack of faith can hinder the manifestation of God’s power in our lives.

To amaze Jesus with our faith, we need to trust Him fully, even when circumstances seem dire or solutions are not visible. Here are some practical steps:

Like the centurion, recognize our unworthiness and Jesus’ greatness. Approach Him with humility, acknowledging our need for His intervention.

Trust in Jesus’ promises and speak them over your life. Believe that His word has the power to bring healing, provision, and peace.

Avoid being swayed by doubt or familiarity that breeds contempt. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Regularly read God’s Word, pray, and fellowship with other believers to build your faith. Remember Romans 10:17: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Today identify an area in your life where you need to exercise greater faith. Write down a promise from Scripture that applies to that situation, and pray daily, declaring that promise in faith. Watch how Jesus works in response to your trust in Him.

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Lord Jesus, I want to amaze You with my faith, not my unbelief. Help me to trust in Your authority and power, even when I cannot see the outcome. Teach me to walk by faith and not by sight, and to always keep my heart humble before You. Strengthen my faith so that I can be a witness to Your greatness. Amen.

January 8 2025