Adventures through the Holy Bible - Week of May 22
God Knows…When My Faith is Shaky – Part 1
Have you ever sat down on a chair with a weak leg, afraid to put your whole weight on it? Maybe you’ve stepped on a loose rock when hiking or crossing a stream. Not a secure feeling. We generally like things (and people) to be steady, sure, and dependable.
How’s your faith? You have faith in electricity, in gravity, in certain people. How’s your faith in God? In Jesus’ day, some had growing faith; some had a wishy-washy faith-doubt mixture.
In the town of Capernaum a nobleman heard that Jesus was in Cana. Days had been dark at his house recently, for his young son had an incurable disease. Doctors had given him up to die. But there was one hope. News had spread about the wonderful miracles of Jesus. The nobleman thought about it: If Jesus could heal his son, surely He was the Messiah.
So, with wobbly faith, the nobleman quickly traveled the 14 miles (22 km) from Capernaum to Cana. There he found a crowd gathered around a plainly dressed man, dusty and travel-worn. He doubted that this ordinary-looking person could help him, but swallowing his pride, he approached Jesus. The nobleman pleaded with Him to come and heal his dying son.
Jesus knew the doubts the nobleman had.
“Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe,” Jesus said. Like a spotlight, the words of Jesus zeroed in on the nobleman’s truest need. He was a selfish man. If he got what he wanted, then he would believe in Jesus. It’s like a kid who questions his parents’ love: “Dad, Mom, unless you do _____ or give me _____ I won’t’ believe you love me.”
Faith Displaces Doubt
Now the nobleman was really worried. What if his doubt would cost him his son’s life? Realizing his own helplessness, he was ready to put complete faith in Jesus, his full weight on the Rock. Desperately he cried out, “Sir, come before my child dies.”
Jesus replied, “Go your way; your son lives.” The nobleman accepted the word of Jesus. He left with a new peace and joy, believing that Jesus was the Messiah and that his son would get well.
Early the next morning he returned home. Servants came out to meet him, but he was not surprised at their news, “Your son lives!” He asked what time the boy had started getting better. “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever let him,” they replied. That was about one o’clock in the afternoon, the very moment when the loving Healer had assured the worried father, “your son lives.”
Happily he hurried in to hug his son and to thank God. The entire family believed in Jesus and became His followers. They joyfully told others of their faith.
The city of Capernaum became the center of the Savior’s work. He stayed there between His trips. Because main roads crossed in Capernaum, all kinds of people from many places came to hear His words of truth. “And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority” (Luke 4:32).
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