When God is Amazed
March 8, 2026 | 7:56 am
During a recent family devotion, we read the story of the Roman centurion in Luke 7. As we talked about it together, something struck us deeply: even Jesus was amazed at his faith!
Pause and consider that. The One who spoke galaxies into existence… amazed.
There are only two recorded moments in the Gospels where Scripture says Jesus marveled. The first was at extraordinary faith (Luke 7:9). The second was at stubborn unbelief (Mark 6:6). Nothing else caused Him to marvel—neither crowds, nor miracles, nor opposition. Just faith… and the lack of it.
When Jesus encountered the Roman centurion, He declared, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” This was a Gentile soldier, an outsider who understood something many in Israel did not. He recognized authority. “Just say the word,” he told Jesus, “and my servant will be healed.” He believed Christ’s word was enough. No signs. No spectacle. Just trust. That kind of faith shone brightly.
Later, a Phoenician woman came pleading for her daughter. Though Jesus initially denied, she refused to withdraw. With humility and boldness she replied, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” She did not demand rights. She appealed to mercy. Jesus answered, “O woman, great is your faith!” Her daughter was healed instantly. Again, faith glowing in unexpected places.
In Luke 17, ten lepers were healed, but only one, a Samaritan, returned to thank Jesus. “Your faith has made you well!” Jesus told him. All ten received physical healing, but the one who returned in gratitude received something deeper and wholeness. And that connection between faith and thanksgiving runs deep in Scripture.
Psalm 69:30–31
“Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.
Our faith-filled thanksgiving pleases the Lord more than sacrifice. In the Old Testament system, sacrifices were costly and visible. Yet God says heartfelt praise and gratitude delight Him more. Why? Because thanksgiving flows from trust. It declares, “I believe You are good. I believe You are faithful. I believe You are enough.” Faith that thanks God—even before everything changes—is powerful.
Yet, when Jesus returned to Nazareth, Scripture tells us in Mark 6:5–6
“He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.”
The issue was not a lack of power. It was a lack of faith.
The Son of God stood among them, yet familiarity bred skepticism. Their unbelief did not diminish His power, but what they experienced. Where faith opens doors, unbelief closes them. Lack of faith restricts what we receive from a willing and powerful God.
In 2 Chronicles 16:9, we are told, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” In a world dim with doubt and fear, God is actively searching for hearts fully turned toward Him. Faith is like a small flame flickering in deep darkness that draws the eyes of our God.
In Malachi 3:16, when those who feared the Lord spoke with one another, “the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him.” God leans in when His people speak in reverence and trust. He records faith. He notices loyalty. Even faith-filled conversations catch heaven’s attention.
In Luke 8:25, after calming the raging storm, Jesus asked His disciples, “Where is your faith?” The wind and waves obeyed Him instantly, yet those walking closest to Him struggled to trust. His question still echoes, not as condemnation, but as invitation. Where is our faith?
In His earthly ministry, He marveled in His humanity. Today, the risen Christ is glorified and all-knowing. He is not surprised. Yet He is still pleased by faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). He still shows Himself strong. He still responds to hearts that trust Him. And when that trust overflows into thanksgiving, it delights 
Him deeply.
He honors humble faith.
He responds to persistent faith.
He restores grateful faith.
He welcomes desperate faith.
He delights in childlike faith.
In a world growing darker, faith is not merely belief but light.
And the eyes of the Lord are still searching. When He sees even the smallest flicker of genuine trust and hears thanksgiving rising from it, He draws near.
May we be a people whose faith does not limit His work, but invites His power and pleases His heart.
Let your little light of faith shine through in this dark world!
Shalom
Rev Anne