To Family and Servants
Opening Prayer
Make your needs known to the Lord today. Prepare your heart for whatever answer God chooses to give.
Read John 4:43–54
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
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.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Have you ever come to Jesus with a deep need but he didn’t answer in the way you anticipated?Jesus and his disciples return to the scene of the first miracle. His reputation as a miracle-worker has preceded him, and the Galileans greet him with great excitement (45). Quite a change from their earlier attitude, as told to us in Luke 4:28,29. What made the difference?
They were wowed by his miracles. And that was exactly why Jesus wasn’t interested in
entertaining them. A government official arrives; some translations describe him as a royal official. He is a figure in authority, used to getting things done his way. His son is gravely ill. It’s likely he’s already tried all the regular ways to bring healing. When all else failed, he traveled 20 miles to Jesus. He expected Jesus to come home with him and pray for his son. But Jesus doesn’t behave as anticipated (50). This must have been quite a shock to this important man.
Still, he puts his faith in Jesus and sets out for home. Sure enough, the boy is healed at exactly the time Jesus said, “Your son will live.” But notice what the official does next (53). He immediately shares his experience with his entire household—and they too believe. Once again, we have a new convert leading others to faith in Jesus through his personal testimony.
Apply
Have you ever felt like God hasn’t answered a prayer? Reflect on what happened. Did God choose to answer in another way?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to have faith to trust You, even when You don’t do things the way I hoped.
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