Believing before seeing.

PODCAST: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/24913837/believing-before-seeing

Perhaps at first glance this seems to be a matter-of-fact recounting and kinda ho-hum storytelling, but it is far more than that. Realizing there is always something God wants us to know … truths to teach and grow us, challenge and yes, even sustain us. After all, when the Israelites wandered in the desert, God gave them manna to feed and sustain them daily; so too, we need the Word of God as our manna.

Lord, as we read, teach us about yourself.

And Lord? Teach us about ourselves too.

John writes: "So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.  When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.  So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”  The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”  Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” 

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.  As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.  So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”  The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.  This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

John 4.46-54

We do not know his name, but this royal official, literally the ‘king’s man’, exhibited great humility, traveling some 20-plus miles to seek out Jesus, the rabbi from Nazareth. Of course, he had heard Jesus had turned ordinary water into wine when he had last come to town, and he was desperate for his dying son to receive healing.

Our desperate needs lead to all-out measures because our hearts are committed to whatever it takes. So a man of power and prestige is reduced to pleading with Jesus because his beloved boy is languishing; nothing matters more than finding some way to save him. I. have. been. there. My boy was two and now he is 28...only God.

Jesus does not miss the gravity of the man’s need . . . but first, he must establish something. Jesus is not interested in performing signs and wonders for the sake of miracle-working show; no, Jesus is interested in the hearts of men and women. So he flushes the man out with tough words, testing his mettle. And then without any miraculous sign whatsoever, the official trusts Jesus that ‘his son would live.’ The man believes without seeing. Those who believe without seeing are blessed–true of the father, who has faith that what Jesus tells him is true—his son will live.

It is also true of you and me, as Jesus said,

“Because you have seen Me, you have believed.

Those who believe without seeing are blessed.” John 20.29

So, the proud man who humbled himself that day by pleading with Jesus and surely thought he would be taking the healing rabbi home with him to touch his son, turned to journey home, with no proof that anything had changed for his boy. He would not have to travel too long, though, as men from home arrived to tell him his boy was getting better. ‘When did this happen? Can you tell me the time of day … well, can you?’ The master, no doubt, urgently pressed his men. Coincidentally(?) it was the very time when Jesus had said, “Your son will live.”

Yes, oh yes, the man’s faith had become sight! The One in whom he had placed his faith had been faithful—he had been right to trust him . . . Jesus of Nazareth. As the woman at the well ran to tell the townspeople all about Jesus, I believe the father, the master of the household, assembled his family and servants, and told them what great thing Jesus had done--Jesus had healed his son. Hallelujah!

He made sure they knew that Jesus not only does great things,

he is great, and worthy of our faith.

He is worthy to be praised! Amen.

But hold on just a second - this is you and me too - when we pray. After all, Jesus does not physically come to our house to touch our sick mate; he does not walk through the hospital corridor to minister to our very sick daughter. We pray and we trust God because of Who we know him to be: our good and ever-loving God who comes and does what only He can do in our lives. He hears and answers our desperate prayers, just as He did the sick boy. And we are blessed because we are those who believe without seeing.

In the last few days I have seen God answer prayers in a young man's life in distinct ways--remarkable really. Though he was at a desperately low point, God heard the prayers on his behalf for His favor and blessing, that Ren would know God was with him. Why, God orchestrated things, details, no man would have known to do! That's our God. He shows his loving care in minutiae, and because when we 'delight ourselves in him, he gives us the desires of our heart.' Psalm 37.4 Yes, He's good like that.

He's faithful.

Amen.

Listen: Midnight Hour, Ryan Kennedy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srXDUVGtngU&list=RDsrXDUVGtngU&start_radio=1

My God's still workin' miracles.

Christine,

John, no.14