John 4: 46-54
verses 48-50: “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.
Jesus rebukes the people for needing “signs and wonders“ to believe, but he does heal the royal official’s son. The official shows strong faith, as he both approaches Jesus while his son lay dying, and believes Jesus, ”takes him at his word”, and goes back to his son.
This passage gets me thinking about prayer. When we ask God for something in our prayers, we need to accept his response. Like the royal official, once we ask, we must take God at his word, know we have been heard, and move on. Jesus chose to heal the official’s son. There were many reasons for this choice, no doubt. We won’t know them. But the official needed to ask Jesus for the healing. It probably wouldn’t have happened if the boy’s father hadn’t asked. We can’t know.
Holy Father, hear my prayer. I want to grow closer to you; I need to be closer to you. I want to learn how to pray, and I don’t want to be afraid to ask for healing. Help me to grow, Lord. Amen
Becky, transforming