May I tell you a story from the gospel of John?
There was a man who was a royal official, a person of importance in his community of Capernaum. His position no doubt brought him privileges and made certain he had whatever he needed in life. However, his problem could not be solved with riches or influence. His son was sick, very sick. His money could pay for the best doctors available, but that had proven futile as his son’s weak frame lay on his bed wasting away. Hope nearly extinguished, the man heard that Jesus had returned to Cana.
He was aware of the gossip that had spread throughout the region. Jesus, the son of a local carpenter, had been traveling the countryside teaching and making grand claims about His ministry. Some people were saying that he was a good man or even a prophet sent from God. Some even said that He was a charlatan leading the crowds to error. But the one detail no one could deny was that miracles happened wherever Jesus was. The man had heard rumors of blind men seeing after Jesus had touched them. He had listened to the whispered tales of healed lepers and paralyzed men who left Jesus’ presence walking on their own two feet.
So that morning as he stood in the bedroom doorway watching his son sleeping, the small chest rising with each labored breath, he made up his mind. He did not know if the rumors about Jesus’ miracles were true, but it was a glimmer of hope in the bleak situation. It might cost him his reputation, but he knew he had to try. If he could just get Jesus to come with him to his house, then maybe the boy would live.
He pulled on his sandals and cloak and headed out into the early morning sunlight, walking quickly but steadily down the familiar path out of town. Cana was about twenty miles distant, but the urgency in his heart kept his pace quick on the dusty road. His mind whirred with questions. What if he couldn’t find Jesus? What if Jesus was too busy to come back to Capernaum right away? What if the stories he had heard were just stories and the miracles had not happened?
As he reached the small town, the man made his way to the crowded marketplace and began asking if anyone had seen Jesus. Soon he had the information he needed and made his way through the streets to the place he had been directed. As he rounded the corner, he saw a crowd gathered around the doorway of a small house. He pushed his way through the people until he could see Him standing in the center of the throng.
At first glance, Jesus seemed very ordinary, much like every other man there. But as He turned his head and looked into the man’s eyes, he felt like all the doubts and questions that had haunted his journey were bare before the Savior’s eyes. He dropped his gaze and fell to his knees before Jesus. Stifling the sob in his voice, the man told Him about the helpless child who was hanging between life and death. He begged for Jesus to come with him and heal his son. Jesus sighed as he looked down at the man, ““Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” (Jn 4:48)
“Please.” the hoarse whisper rose from the man’s lips. Tears welled up in his eyes and ran in hot rivers down his face. He no longer wondered if Jesus could do wonders. He did not want to see some sensational sign. He just wanted his son to live. For a long moment, the Lord stood silently looking at the man before a gentle smile crossed His face. It seemed like His eyes had seen what He was looking for—faith. He pulled the man to his feet and put His hands on the man’s shoulders. “Go home,” Jesus instructed. “Your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at His word and departed. (John 4:50, NIV) Relief washed over the man. The heavy blanket of doubt was gone. He found himself smiling back at the Lord and laughter bubbled up inside his chest. He threw his arms around the Lord and whispered his thanks. As he made his way back to Capernaum, his step felt lighter. The sun was sinking low as he neared the city, but he recognized the form walking toward him. It was one of the men who worked in his house. The smile on the man’s face was confirmation of the truth he already knew. His son was going to be just fine.
The man took Jesus at His word. I felt those words as I read them from the Bible sitting on my kitchen table. They sank into my spirit like a stone tossed into a pond, starting a ripple at impact before gravity took them deeper. This man’s narrative is tucked succinctly in the last nine verses of John 4. It is the drama of a desperate father coming to the Lord and finding mercy, but it is also more than that. This man had a problem he could not solve no matter what he tried or no matter how influential he was, and in his helplessness did the one thing that made the greatest possible effect. He sought out the Lord.
This man’s journey of faith is one that we have to take again and again in our lives as Christians. All of us face difficulties and challenges in life that are bigger than us. This is simply part of the human condition. We all stand before giants that we cannot conquer in our own strength, and they likely have different name tags on their chests for each of us-–depression, anxiety, rejection, abandonment, sickness, perversion, confusion. This list could go on and on, but the emphasis cannot remain on the giant roaring its threats in our face. The focus must shift to our choice on how to handle what we are facing.
In my own life l admit that when I face giant problems, my first instinct is to try to figure out the solution myself. I will reason using logic as a sword. I will seek the advice of those who have had success in their own battles. I will read books to gain insight. At times, I even try to ignore the problem hoping it will go away. Let me assure you that each and every one of these tactics are of very limited effect, and some are completely fruitless. The truth is that life doesn’t always fit in nice compartments and is frequently unpredictable.
The problem with my strategies is that at my very strongest, I am pitifully weak. I suffer fatigue when the battle is long term. I am limited by my own intellect and capacity of understanding. I find that I am insufficient to face giants—but the Lord is not! He Who flings planets into orbit and sparks suns into flame lacks no power. (Gen 1:1) He never needs to stop and take a break (Ps 121:4) God’s thoughts are not like ours, bound by the gravity of our situations. (Is 55:9) He has the vantage viewpoint of eternity. The words of the prophet Isaiah sum it up perfectly, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” (Is 40:28) When we face impossible circumstances, problems too big for us to handle, giants roaring threats in our direction, the only credible decision to make is to seek the Lord.
This man in John 4 made the wise choice, to seek the Lord when he could not save his son by his own power. However, the part of his narrative that was remarkable was the way he nailed his faith on nothing more than the words that Jesus spoke. When you read the gospels, especially the book of John, you will find a culture looking for a sign, a miracle that would prove Jesus’ identity and authority. The Pharisees, the priests, the scribes, and even the Jews in the streets of the cities in which He ministered were watching the Lord to see what sensational thing he would do next– blind eyes opening, loaves and fish multiplied, former dead men walking and talking. But in the midst of a people waiting to be wowed by the supernatural power of God operating in Jesus’ ministry, this man chose a different mindset. He stood before the Lord in his mess, his pain, his fear, his helplessness,and when Jesus told him that his son would live, he decided to believe Him. He simply took Jesus at His word.
I don’t think it is too difficult to connect the dots to our own culture in the American church. We are people hungry for the supernatural. You can see it in the entertainment we watch. We tend to be swayed by the sensational. Conferences touting well known speakers and worship leaders draw big crowds. People get excited about a minister who calls out prophetic words. We may not like the parallel, but we are just as desirous to see Jesus’ signs today.
Yet, I have to believe that the Lord is still looking for those who will dare to take Him at His word. What if we decided that Jesus is enough, even when we don’t see the extraordinary miracles or experience the sensational manifestations of His presence? What if we simply nailed our faith into the words that He spoke and stood firm when the winds of circumstance blow? Faith is the currency of heaven, and belief that does not demand that God prove Himself is the highest form of faith.
When the enemy roars that you are unworthy or unloved, fix your faith to the word that says that if you have believed in His name, He gave you the right to become a child of God. (Jn 1:12) When your load seems heavier than you can bear, settle your heart on the truth that you can cast your cares upon Him for He will never allow you to be shaken. (Ps 55:2) When sin seeks to entangle you and confusion leaves you reeling, be assured that if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. (Jn 8:36) No matter what you are facing, Jesus is enough. Nail your faith to His word.
Pray with me?
Father,
We want to please You with our faith. We choose to take You at Your word and allow it to have the final say in our lives. We don’t need You to do signs to prove Yourself. We trust in Your goodness and mercy.
