Sometimes I wonder what Jesus would say about us if He was talking to someone else.
Would He acknowledge our faults but still gush lovingly? “Yeah, she is definitely human… But man oh man, do I love her!!”
Or would He share remarks on our skills and attributes? “We made this chick special. She can multitask like a champ and she is pretty resourceful.”
Or… Would He react like He did in today’s Hidden Ah-Ha as He referred to the Faith of the Centurion? “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”
I sure hope it would be the latter… but in all honesty, I still have a long way to go. Sometimes little seeds of doubt spring up in the middle of my faith garden. And while I try to smash them as quick as I can, they still exist.
But oh, to have faith like that Centurion!!
Here’s the back story, right out of Matthew 8… Jesus is out and about, doing His Jesus thang… Healing, preaching, you know, Jesus stuff. A centurion (soldier) comes up to Jesus and tells Him that his servant is sick and paralyzed.
Jesus offers to come to the centurion’s home to heal the servant. But our friend the centurion’s response speaks volumes of his faith in Christ.
The centurion says the Lord’s presence isn’t necessary… All Jesus needs to do is say the word and boom, his servant will be healed.
Jesus’ response is encouraging (and makes me yearn for that kind of faith.) In full context, His response is our Hidden Ah-Ha for the week:
“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.'” ~Matthew 8:10
Can you imagine being THAT guy who actually AMAZED Jesus (JESUS! as in THE CHRIST!) with such great faith!!??! It kind of blows my mind… And makes me want to be in relationship with Christ at a deeper, richer, more AMAZING level.
The question is… how do we get such great faith?
1. Pray. There is NO SHAME in turning to God, asking Him to deepen our faith and make it great. (But you sure be ready for what He dishes out!) Simply say the short prayer in Mark 9:24~ ““I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
2. Wait. Be patient. Life as a Christian is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t get discouraged if you are trucking along with steadfast faith, then you hit a pothole that jars your teeth. Acknowledge your shortcoming, repent, and repeat #1. Know that each day that we are sincerely reaching for God, we are becoming more Christ-like. He is transforming us, preparing us for glory when we reach heaven’s gate.
3. Serve. We want to see our faith grow? Then we have to let God do His work… And WE can be His hands and feet. When we serve others, we bring a sliver of God’s Kingdom to earth. Give until it hurts. Watching Him move in miraculous ways brings us closer to Him.
In what seasons, ways or circumstances do you see your faith grow the most? What do you think it would be like to have faith like the centurion? Feel free to leave a comment here.
Be encouraged, friends. Faith like the centurion is NOT unattainable… Because when we believe wholeheartedly in Christ, anything is possible. He wants His Best for you… And what could be better than having such great faith?
Faithfully His,
“When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israelhave I found such faith.” ~Matthew 8:10 ESV
