Matthew 8:8b and 10 – “But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. . .                            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!’”                                                    

Mark 6:6 “He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

There is a popular t.v. show I watch where singers compete in blind auditions for a coveted spot on a superstar’s team. In my opinion, every competitor possesses incredible vocal talent, and I am always stunned when one of them is deemed unworthy of being chosen. But I suppose superstars are not easily impressed by the talents of others.

Since superstars are rarely wowed, have you ever wondered just how difficult it might be to impress the greatest legend of all time – Jesus? Remember, Jesus helped create the universe. Jesus is part of the majesty of God. Jesus lives in paradise. It would seem futile to attempt to “wow” the Savior. But scripture records Jesus the Christ, the King of the Universe, the Beloved Son of God was twice amazed!

So, just what amazed Jesus two times?

Scriptures records both involved FAITH!

Once, a Roman Centurion sought Jesus with a request to heal his paralyzed servant. This soldier believed with all his heart that only one word from the Christ would achieve the impossible and restore his servant’s health. Scripture says,

“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)

The man’s unwavering, unprecedented “great” faith astonished Christ!

But Jesus was twice amazed, so what caused the second?

When Jesus returned to His hometown, to the people who should have loved Him deeply, they scoffed at His deity and were offended by His power. Sadly, scripture records Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mark 6:6). What a tremendous hurt to the Savior this must have been from those He held dear.

Today if we seek to amaze Jesus, remember it is all about our faith! A heart filled with mountain-moving faith amazes our Savior. But so does a life void of praise and worship. So friend, make sure you bear witness to His great love and power. Live each day mightily knowing “With God, all things are possible.” And seize every opportunity to profess Jesus as Lord. Then, may our lives amaze Jesus, the greatest superstar of them all!

Father God, may we amaze you every day with our unwavering faith in who You were, who You are, and who You always will be.

Blessings of Faith,

Rita Cochrane