Marvel
Marvel
“And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.”
Matthew 9:3-8
What is it about the human mind that marvels at everything? And before anyone goes off the rails on me, let me explain.
I’m talking about modern day marveling. We are so amazed at talents, achievements, accomplishments and wealth. We lose our minds over celebrities, millionaires and billionaires and political figures. Marveling has become an Olympic sport that anyone can participate in. We marvel at all the wrong things honestly.
Don’t get me wrong, I see some things - and I also marvel.
I think about modern medicine and it’s advancements and marvel. I look at civil engineering and marvel. I look at what the human race has achieved in the last two-hundred years and I marvel.
But when I think of a man, telling another man who has been lame all his life, to get up and walk, because of his faith - there is no comparison. Every possible talent, award, achievement and accomplishment - is pale in comparison. In fact, there is no comparison.
When Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons and rebuked the devil - He did it all by word. He spoke this power into action. There was no effort. It was His thought, through His words that brought power through faith.
The faith of people, on the power of Jesus is something to marvel at. The healing, comforting, saving and loving power of Jesus is what we should be marveling at.
In the verses above, the “multitude” marveled and glorified God for sending a man who could heal the sick. The connection had not been made yet about Who the Messiah was. They believed the man they witnessed healing another man, was just a man that was sent by God. This was no ordinary man, this was Jesus the Christ, the Savior of the world.
It was hard for the Jewish people to see Jesus for Who He was then. Even now. The Jewish people were partly correct, God was all powerful, all glorious and all things. They just missed the part about Jesus.
God sent His son to save the world - not judge it. We are sinners in need of repentance. We have no right to marvel at man made wonders. Our Father Who is in Heaven, is Who should be glorified and marveled at each and every day.
The things of this world are not of man, they are of God - man just takes the credit and man worships the things of the world. We love to marvel at our personal bests, our top scores, our highest earnings - and yet, we never glorify God because He provided the increase - in everything, as we should.
We should stop, and look around, and see what God has provided. There are still blessings being provided and miracles of God being performed every single day. We are just to busy to marvel at them. And even when God is present, not performing a miracle, providing a blessing or healing the sick - we should still marvel. The mere presence of God in our lives should be marveled. God is marvelous!
“And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
John 12:47-50
“As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.”
Matthew 9:32-33