MIDWEEK MEDITATION

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.
 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 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.”
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.

John 4:47-53

My child is dying. 

All of his political clout and financial security couldn’t change the simple fact that his child was on the brink of death. Everything else seemed like an afterthought to the terrifying reality in front of him. He had heard that there was someone doing miracles in a place outside of Jerusalem, but could that really be true? Miracles seemed in short supply. But what choice did he have? He was running out of time. In desperation the official traveled to Cana and implored Jesus to come home with him and heal his son.

Go, your son is healed. 

That’s it? Shouldn’t Jesus be rushing off with the man? Can it really be as easy as that? There simply wasn’t enough time to go home and return if something was still wrong with the boy. In that moment, the father had a choice to make: to trust Jesus’ promise or not. The decision he made changed his life and the life of his family forever. The father took a long walk of faith as he journeyed home believing that he would see God’s miracle at the end of it.

Our lives are changed when we believe that Jesus keeps His word. When God promises something in scripture, we can trust it even if we don’t get to see it fulfilled right away. It is often in our own long walk of faith that God deepens our trust and reliance on Him.

Jesus, give me faith to trust you on my long walk of faith. Help me to praise you for your faithfulness and goodness while I wait for your promises to be fulfilled.