Dare To Trust
Opening Prayer
Mighty God, I trust in Your great goodness, love and power. Grow my faith today even more, I pray.
Read John 4:43-54
[43] After the two days he left for Galilee. [44] (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) [45] When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. [46] Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. [47] When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. [48] “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” [49] The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” [50] “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. [51] While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. [52] When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” [53] Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed. [54] This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How did this man show his faith in Jesus?Jesus is traveling north back to the scene of his first miracle at the wedding feast. He is confronted with a man who traveled 20 miles seeking healing for his son who is at death’s door. It’s about one o’clock in the afternoon. Jesus’ response to this desperate man seems a bit harsh. Surely we would have been more sensitive because the boy is about to die! The man wants Jesus to go back with him; he wants a cast-iron guarantee that the healing will happen (48). Jesus longs simply for him to believe, and sends him back with nothing but a verbal promise: “On your way. Your son will live.” What would you have done? The man obeys and is met on the road with the news that his son is alive and well. The son had turned the corner—at one o’clock in the afternoon, would you believe? In effect, this is part three of the master class in evangelism. We don’t offer people proof, just enough evidence for them to act in trust and obedience. But it’s also a challenge to our personal faith; is the Word of God enough for me today? Or will I only react to something outwardly dramatic?
Apply
Will you trust God today even when you can’t see how things will turn out? What situation might demand such trust?
Closing prayer
Lord, it’s true that I do believe, but sometimes I need Your help to continue believing. Help me, I pray.
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