How would you feel if you discover your wife ‘loves’ you because of your money or your husband married you because you are from a wealthy family, not because they he truly loves you? Someone once told me that she doesn’t love her husband and have not been able to say this for a long time, that she would have walked away if not for his money. These are pathetic situations that destroys relationships once known for it makes the other party feel like an object being used for some selfish ends. In our relationship with God this is also obtainable and God detests it? If you are in doubt read slowly…
John 4:43-54
Jesus left Samaria for Galilee. He himself had declared that there is no respect for a prophet in his own country, but on his arrival the Galileans received him well, having seen all that he had done at Jerusalem during the festival which they too had attended. He went again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a court official there whose son was ill at Capernaum and, hearing that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went and asked him to come and cure his son as he was at the point of death. Jesus said, ‘So you will not believe unless you see signs and portents!’ ‘Sir,’ answered the official ‘come down before my child dies.’ ‘Go home,’ said Jesus ‘your son will live.’ The man believed what Jesus had said and started on his way; and while he was still on the journey back his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive. He asked them when the boy had begun to recover. ‘The fever left him yesterday’ they said ‘at the seventh hour.’ The father realised that this was exactly the time when Jesus had said, ‘Your son will live’; and he and all his household believed.
POINTS FOR REFLECTION
1. So you will not believe unless you see signs? This question by Jesus to the Court official is one every christian should answer personally and sincerely. I once wrote that it is easier to confuse a true Christian believer from Signs and wonder believers because they all follow. But the latter is known by their utilitarian attitudes to faith- they ‘follow and believe’ as long as the gospel message is fruitful and solves their problems. This attitude to faith is common among Christians today: among members who go after ministers who demonstrate signs and wonders, and among ministers who advertise signs and wonders in order to attract members and followership. This attitude is annoying hence Jesus warns about it.
2. Miracle after belief: the greatest miracle is faith and is the first miracle in the life of a believer that opens the door to other miracles! As soon as the Court official believed the words of Jesus and left for his home, the favour he sought (healing of his son) came to pass, and he realised that the healing happened at the time of his believing the declaration by Jesus.
TASK: Ask yourself now: If things go wrong around me, will I still believe in God? Everything we seek in life is embedded in the eternal Word of God and we attain it by Faith. Do I have such faiths or I am after solutions to my problems? God bless you.
