A Daily Devotion for Friday, Sept 22
- ontrakk
- Sep 22, 2023
- 1 min read
John 4:48
"Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
In this example, Jesus heals a non-believer's son, and makes the statement above. This is a lesson I learned in a Sunday service not that long ago. Sometimes Jesus pointed out someone's faith before or after healing them. But not everyone who was healed, was healed because of their faith. Jesus recognized that miracles could move people to a place of belief. The miracles expressed God's power, and so could not be denied. Many people were brought into the Kingdom of God after witnessing miracles. I believe in miracles.
Lord God, I believe in you. Help my faith grow, and Lord, help me to bring others to your Kingdom. I am yours. Amen
Becky, transforming I
John 4:48
The story behind this verse reminds me of the story of Thomas who was not with the other disciples when the risen Jesus appeared to them. Although people refer to him as doubting, he simply wanted to be sure. He wanted the truth. Again, however, Jesus reply was similar to this verse, “You believe because now you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
Prayer: Gracious God, Through my moments of doubt, please strengthen my faith in you. Amen
Friday, September 22nd, 2023
John 4:48
Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders Jesus told them you will never believe.
One of the royal officials had a son who was sick and dying. He begged Jesus to heal his son. Jesus saids you people (meaning the royal official and all the other people who were gathered there) won't believe—won't actually trust in Christ—without visibly seeing some miraculous event. Jesus then tells the official that his son is healed. Than asks the official if he could believe and act in trusting faith, by leaving Jesus and going back home to his son without any proof that his son had actually been healed. The man was actually trusting,believing and obeying Jesu…
John 4:48 I can certainly understand people coming to faith in Jesus after witnessing for themselves a miraculous healing. What I cannot fathom is the far greater numbers at the time, so entrenched in their religious beliefs that they simply refused to believe what was in front of their very eyes. They focused on Jesus’ ”failure” to strictly adhere to Mosaic Law, with whom Jesus shared meals, whether He ritually washed His hands at these meals. They even condemned miracles of healing because they occurred on the Sabbath. Their fidelity to religion instead of the very source of faith blinded them to the world of miracles just as modern-day skeptics are blinded by their fidelity to science. When have I fallen…