John 4 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴³ After the two days he departed for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) ⁴⁵ So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

⁴⁶ 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. ⁴⁷ 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. ⁴⁸ So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” ⁴⁹ The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. ⁵¹ As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. ⁵² 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.” ⁵³ 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. ⁵⁴ This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

REFLECTION

• Read over this passage a few times slowly. If time allows, read the whole chapter.
• This story shows how difficult having faith is. When the anxious father came, Jesus seemed quite indifferent and said to the father: “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders you will never believe.” And when the father asked Jesus again, Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.”
• This is the dilemma of faith. God, in response to our desperate appeals, speaks to us and says, “It’s done. Go home and you’ll find the sick healed.” And what is there for us to do? If we keep begging Jesus to come with us, we display unbelief. But to go means to head home with no evidence at all that the promised healing has taken place!
• Faith is still very much the same. We come to God desperate for salvation. And all He says is, “you may go.” The work is done, your healing accomplished. And, though we lack evidence, in faith we walk away as Jesus said.
• When you bring your problem to God, do you tend to accept His word or keep fretting and fussing? Do you actually live out your life in a way that demonstrates that you really believe God is in control and wants the best for you?
• Talk to God about this and listen to His response.