When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there. 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. 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 miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
Jesus replied, "You may go. 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, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."
Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.
Jesus is returning to where he performed His first miracle of turning the water into wine, and when the man approached Him he says in verse 48, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders...you will never believe." I've heard it said many times that people love the gift and not the Gift Giver, Jesus.
What's sad to me is I think God has been so faithful in our past, and we seem to forget not only the greatest gift of Him dying on the cross for our sins, but also his faithfulness of things he has gotten us through already. We quickly forget his previous miracles, and almost look at Him and say, "alright one more miracle, one more blessing, and I'll see I can trust you". How quickly we forget what God has done for us, and so often ask for more.
I love what John Piper has to say about the royal official's response:
"'The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.' What is remarkable about this is that the man had asked Jesus to come with him. But when Jesus simply spoke, 'Go; your son will live," the man obeyed without a question. He believed and went. He did not insist on seeing the miracle. He did not complain that Jesus would not come with him. And amazingly, he simply left, John says, believing. I'm inclined to think that in that moment of seeing Jesus speak so sovereignly in spite of his accusations, something awakened in the man. he saw something more than a miracle-worker."
The man believed in Jesus and trusted His word without knowing the outcome. Are you trusting in Jesus and his sovereignty? While we are waiting for God to do something He is already at work. He is doing more in our lives than we can possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We have to see Christ as more than a miracle-worker. He is our Savior, our Messiah. He is faithful and good.
I pray that we don't forget the miracles God has already done in our lives. His promises to walk with us through the fires and storms with us (Isaiah 43). I pray that like the royal official, we would take God at His word, trusting in the truth and promises found in the bible. Ultimately that we will never forget the greatest gift (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9) He has already given us in the cross. He came from heaven down to earth for us. To live a perfect life, die on the cross, and rise again defeating death that we may have eternal life, and life abundantly through Jesus Christ. That is the greatest miracle. Jesus is all we need. What's amazing is we get to know the outcome. We have assurance of Salvation as believers (John 5:24). We know how this story ends. Trust in Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment