“THE FAITH OF THE OFFICIAL”

Reading - John 4

            The faith of the Official whose son was sick to the point of death in John 4 has always intrigued me.  Here is a man whose son is at the point of death, there seems to be nothing that anyone can do to help him.  In my mind, I imagine this man trying to cope with what seems to the inevitable death of his son, while at the same time making every effort console his wife and family.  The text said that he had heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, but what He had heard about Jesus is not mentioned in our text.  Regardless of what he had known about Jesus was enough for Him to load up, leave his dying son, leave his family and travel a day’s journey to Cana to see Jesus.  We are not told if he ever thought to himself, “Am I going to make it? What if I can’t find Him? What if He does nothing? What if there isn’t anything to do?”  I really don’t think it possible for him to not have some doubts about what might happens if he doesn’t find Jesus, but there is no doubt in His mind about what Jesus can do.  How can we possibly know that?  It might help if we try to put ourselves in his shoes.  If I had a child that was sick to the point of death, and I had heard of a man that might be able to help Him.  I would have done whatever it took to meet up with that doctor.  Then when I found him, if that doctor was not willing to come back with me…let’s just say I might have used some rope and duct tape to persuade Him.   However, when it doesn’t look like Jesus was going to come back with the Official, and just says, “Go; your son will live…”.  The man turned around and went home.  I will have to say, that would not have been enough for me.  I would have asked for a prescription, a treatment option or tied Him up and brought Him back home with me; but the man believed….and left.  As the Official travels home, he meets one of his servants relaying the good news about his son.    The father asked what time he got better, the servant replied, “Yesterday, at the seventh hour.”.  It was then he knew that was the exact hour Jesus had said those words.  If you think about it, this story is perfect definition of what faith is.  The man heard, he believed, he trusted, so he acted!  I pray for a faith like this official.

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