Walking In Faith

When we are desperate, we will try to get help wherever we can.

Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee. - John 4:46-54

It may have been desperation that led the official to Jesus, and Jesus knew that.  He told the man people would not believe without signs.

He is so desperate that he is willing to believe Jesus could help, so he starts on his way, with the hope of a cure for his child.

Imagine what he was thinking as he left.

What will I do if my boy dies?  How will I go on?  Was I crazy for coming to see this man?

A whole day goes by before he learns that his boy has recovered.

But when he gets word that the boy lived, he realizes Jesus was the reason for the turnaround, and he believes, along with his whole family.

This story is about living moment to moment in faith, without knowing for certain.  The man continues his journey home wanting to believe the boy will live, but he didn't know for sure.

He had to rely on his faith.

Could we do that?

If Jesus had walked with the man to cure the child in person, and the child recovered upon their arrival, he would still believe, but he would not have had the experience of walking in faith.

We need that.  It is what this life is all about. 

We don't get to see God face to face.  Instead, we need to find Him in the people He sends to help us, and that requires faith.

More to come...