365: Mark 4, 5 and 6 (Day 297)

[Jesus] was amazed at how many people had no faith. (Mark 6:6 - NCV)

In Mark 6 we find the narrative detailing Jesus' return to Nazareth. Even though his hometown crowd was amazed at his teachings, they refused to believe in him. Before leaving there, the writer of Mark records Jesus reaction to their lack of faith: Jesus was amazed.

In another account, Matthew 8:5-13, Jesus has a different reaction to a centurion's faith: He was amazed. Wait, that's the same reaction. Nope, just the opposite. With his friends and neighbors, he was amazed at their lack of faith; with the soldier, he was amazed at his abundance of faith.

Just to cover the bases, let's examine a scenario from the final synoptic Gospel. In Luke there is an interesting set of bookends (a story within a story). Both verses include the phrase, When the Son of Man comes again... (17:24 and 18:8). The discourse may have been sparked by the Pharisees' question: When will the kingdom of God come? (verse 20) The Pharisees ask, When?, but Jesus answers a more important question. The question isn't, When will Jesus return?, but, What will Jesus find when he returns? According to Luke 18:8 - NIV, the question is, When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

Let's put this all together. Jesus was amazed at his friends' and neighbors' lack of faith, and he was amazed at the centurion's abundance of faith. So when Christ returns, maybe it's a given that he will be amazed because of our faith, but will it be for its lack or its abundance?

If you're honest, you'd probably have to admit that you're not that different from me. Right now, whether Jesus was amazed at my lack or abundance of faith would depend on the day of the week. My faith has been stretched and deepened over the past year, but I remind myself of the man Jesus encountered seeking help for his sick son: If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us.

Jesus said to the father, "You said, 'If you can!' All things are possible for the one who believes."

Immediately the father cried out, "I do believe! Help me to believe more!" (Mark 9:22-24 - NCV)

God finds my faith amazing. Is it for the right reasons?