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6/28 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 33-34; Psalm 119:145-176; Isaiah 60; Matthew 8
When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who followed Him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Matthew 8:10
MARVELOUS
A centurion in Capernaum, a Roman captain in charge of 100 soldiers, had a servant who suffered greatly from paralysis. He begged the Lord Jesus to help (Matt 8:6). When Jesus said He would go with him to heal the servant (Matt 8:7), the captain felt unworthy to have the Lord in his home, saying he believed that at the Lord’s very command, his servant would be healed (Matt 8:8). Moreover, the centurion told Jesus he understood authority since he was designated with a measure of authoritative power himself (Matt 8:9). Jesus marveled. And why wouldn’t He? God’s grace is amazing and marvelous, and even the holy Son of God must reflect with awesome joy at the condescending grace bestowed by His heavenly Father. Consider this: here is a Roman, one who does not possess the Scriptures nor the covenant blessings and promises passed down to Israel from the fathers for generations; nevertheless, he doesn’t doubt Jesus is a prophet and, moreover, believes Jesus is able to heal his servant. Throughout the Lord’s earthly ministry, his own half-brothers didn’t believe, his disciples seldom understood, and the religious leaders, who should have recognized Him from their readings of the Scriptures ultimately sent Jesus to a cruel, brutal, and shameful death.
God’s grace is amazing and marvelous. Yet our flesh opposes grace and too often we treat it as coldly as a routine business transaction. If you doubt that statement, think about Christ crucified and recall how seldom you have wept bitterly over its tragedy or wept joyfully over its triumph. Yes, we need Christ’s grace constantly because we still fall far short of His marvelous glory. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Every morning we must arise
With Christ’s cross in our view—
To grow in grace with love-fill’d eyes,
As Christ makes all things new.
Oh how we need Jesus! 🙏❤️