Amazing Faith

For a while now I've been pondering the kind of faith that moves Jesus. Particularly in His earthly ministry. There are instances in the Gospels of Jesus being amazed/moved/astonished/surprised by someone's faith. This just blows my mind. What kind of faith did they have? What was different about their faith?

We know that they believed He was able. They had heard the stories spreading like wildfire of His power to heal and work miracles. They would not have gone to Him at all if they hadn't believed that He could help them. Most of us have this kind of faith. We believe He is able.

Was it the strength of their faith? Was it the amount of it? Was it the genuineness of it? Was it their tenacious and audacious efforts to find Him and get in His presence? Think of the Canaanite woman who so brazenly asked for "crumbs from the table" even after it seemed His answer was "no." Perhaps it was any or all of these.

But, I think it was something not more or better or bigger or stronger...it was AND. I think they believed that Jesus was able AND willing. They didn't come to Him just believing that He could and wondering if He would, they believed that He would! Now that's different. They saw the outcome of their faith.

The following story happens in all three Gospels. Really, it's two stories that are happening at the same time. They are about a man named Jairus and woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. Both display amazing faith.

While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in andknelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went through all that district. (Matthew 9:18-26, ESV)

Notice Jairus' statement:
“My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

Notice the woman's statement:
“If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”

There was no doubting on any level.

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:21-22, ESV)

Also, I've been thinking about the faith of some on others' behalf. The four friends who made a hole in a roof to lower their paralyzed friend down to Jesus' feet in order for him to be healed. Jairus on behalf of his daughter. The centurion on behalf of his servant. And countless other stories of people bringing their sick and hurting to Jesus in faith.

I want to have faith like this. I want to believe that Jesus can and will. And I want to believe this for others and have the faith on their behalf that perhaps they can't muster.