Day 7

Have you ever been amazed by something? It just shocked you that something like that would ever happen? A crazy play in a game? A car wreck right in front of you? September 11th? Most of you probably don't remember it, but 10 years ago the shooting at Columbine High School happened. Many students were killed and two took their lives. People were shocked everywhere. They were shocked in a very negative way at the way that such atrocities could take place.

Read this passage in Matthew.

Take special note of verse 10.

This centurion was a Roman who probably had no idea what Jesus was about, what he had come to fulfill or the scriptures that were prophesying his coming. This man had no idea about the background that all of the Jews would have known because of their training and schooling that took place in their culture. Do you realize that most if not all of the Jewish people would have been required to study and memorize the entire first five chapters of the Old Testament?! Most would then pursue it further by studying the rest of the Old Testament! They knew who Jesus was supposed to be and what he stood for.

Romans on the other hand, were not required to complete this study or this memorization. They would be required to learn things like science and math; subjects that would not necessarily require the use of the Old Testament.

But here we see a man that simply has a heart for the people around him and recognizes the power that is contained in the person of Jesus. He even recognizes how important Jesus is and how unworthy the centurion is to have Jesus in his house.

And then there's the kicker: "When Jesus heard this, he was astonished..."

Jesus was astonished because even this man that is one with great power and authority over people, he understands that God is so much more powerful and that Jesus doesn't need to come to his house to heal his servant.

So what about you? What kind of faith do you have in Jesus? Do you need an encounter with Him to trust Him with everything today?

Is Jesus astonished at your faith in Him?

Would Jesus say that he has never seen anyone with as much faith as you?

I am not claiming that you should be in a competition to have more faith than anyone else. But I am saying that we should be striving for that kind of faith! But there is another question that arises though, isn't there?

How do I have a faith that astonishes Jesus? How do I simply believe in Him so much that it astonishes Him? I think that these are questions for you. I think that these are questions that you can answer. I don't know that there is necessarily a right answer. So take a moment. Answer the questions for yourself. What areas of your life could you have more faith? How do you increase your faith level in those areas?

GC