Daily Devotional | A Desperate Father

I coached a youth baseball team for the purpose of spending time with my son. During a practice session one of the kids threw a ball when my son wasn’t looking, and it cracked his eye socket. In anguish, I didn’t wait for the emergency medical service to arrive. I drove my son to the hospital as fast as I could. I was desperate to help him.

In John 4:46, we are introduced to a royal official whose son was not doing well. In fact, verse 47 tells us that his son was near death. As a dad myself, I am not surprised that this royal official traveled 20 to 25 miles to speak with Jesus (v. 46). When he found Jesus, he begged Him to come and heal his son (v. 47). His desire was for Jesus to make the trip back to Capernaum. Evidently, the official felt that there were no other options for his son’s healing. This father was beside himself with worry.

Jesus responded in an unexpected way, stating, “Unless you people see signs and wonders you will never believe” (v. 48). By saying “you people,” Jesus was probably speaking to all the observers of this interaction between Him and the official. But He was also speaking to the official.

Jesus told the official: “Go [without seeing]...Your son will live” (v. 50). Acting with trust and obedience, “[t]he man took Jesus at his word and departed” (v. 50). We can only imagine his thoughts on that long ride home. But we learn that his son lived and had been healed at the exact moment that Jesus spoke. As a result, his entire household believed (v. 53).