"Please come and heal my boy!" (Gentile government official)
"Do you have to see a miracle before you believe?" (Jesus)
"Please, please, I'm desperate. He is about to die." (official)
"Go back home. Your son will live." (Jesus)
(John 4:43-54, paraphrased)
The man believes Jesus and starts back home. I wonder if his thoughts were mostly hopeful or mixed with doubt the farther he walked. He received Jesus' word and acted on faith. He was willing to believe before he saw the miracle. How long was he in between the word of faith and hearing that his son was healed? When he discovers the boy was healed the exact time Jesus spoke the word, his faith is rewarded, he and his whole household believe in Jesus.
Will we act towards faith when the Holy Spirit gives a promise? How will we respond in between the promise and seeing the results? Will we keep walking when the way seems long? Maybe we'll even forget about what was promised. We have other things to turn to for help.
The story of the man who falls off a cliff comes to mind. On the way down he grabs a branch and hangs on. He cries for help and God's voice says, "Let go." He considers the instruction for awhile. Finally, he says, "Is there anyone else up there?"
Are we placing all our trust in God? Do we find his instruction too scary, too difficult, too unreasonable as we wait for the answer? Is there an action I need to do to "walk towards faith"; towards the promise?
How are we responding to these words of Jesus?
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:14)This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14)
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)
