And He Marvelled
Thursday, September 10, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
"And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
Matthew 8:5-10
The steps of faith fall on the seeming void and find the rock beneath.-John Greenleaf Whittier
George Mueller, a man known for his unwavering faith in the face of dire circumstances, once said, "God delights to increase the faith of His children....I say, and say it deliberately-trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith....We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us."
Faith is the foundation of a Christian's life. It is what caused Mr. Mueller to build an orphanage without the supplies to sustain it. It's what has caused men and women to leave their families and travel around the world to tell others of Christ. And faith is what strengthens us when we can't see the solution to our problems.
The first step of faith for a Christian is trusting Christ for eternal salvation. But faith is not a one-time occurrence. Faith is a daily exercise for every Christian that desires to follow God's path. Without faith, it is impossible to please God and to follow the awe-inspiring plan He has for our lives.
Notice an unlikely man of faith in our verses today. This man was a centurion, a soldier in the Roman army. He had seen war, death, disease, and horrors most people would never see. He knew the realities of life and death, yet he sought Christ for help when his servant became ill. He realized his servant needed more help than he could give him.
How did this man show faith? He and his countrymen ruled the Jewish people. He had seen the establishment of government in a land that relied on an unseen God for guidance. He had heard the rumors of this God coming to earth. Surely, God would exact revenge on him and his people for the cruelties he had submitted the Jewish people to.
Yet rather than letting his pride and status dictate his actions, this centurion sought Christ with open arms and a faithful heart that said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." What faith! Christ marvelled at the faith of this man.
Would Christ marvel at your faith today? Sometimes we let reality cloud out our faith. We see things happen, logically solve problems, and find tangible answers; yet God desires that we would seek Him like the centurion, stepping out in faith and knowing that He will be there to help us.
Famous poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote, "The steps of faith fall on the seeming void and find the rock beneath." True, marvelous faith requires a release of the "reality" we see. We must trust that God is greater than any visible answer. It takes stepping out, away from your own abilities, and trusting God's provision.
What situation in your life requires marvelous faith? In what area have you not fully trusted Christ for help? God wants you to trust Him, to step out and show marvelous faith. Spend time right now with God. Give up your own abilities and step out in faith, trusting Him completely for the answer. Once you have put your faith solely in God, let go of the situation, and trust Him to provide in His perfect time.
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