A Few Words Change Everything

Scripture Text: John 4:31-54

All it took was a few words. Jesus never even saw the young boy who was dying. Still he spoke words of healing and from a distance the boy was made well. The government official had gotten word Jesus was in the area so he went to see if he could heal his son. This man's request was for Jesus to come with him and heal his son, Jesus had another plan, to simply speak the healing.

In all of this we do not find a discussion about faith often found in the healing miracles. The man that comes to Jesus is specifically identified as a government official. Not a religious leader, not a Jewish person but a governmental official, possibly even a Roman. The official comes to Jesus because he had heard about the miracles being done, and that was the only hope for his son. Not once does the official claim to have a faith, or belief before the healing in pronounced. This is not the classic, "your faith has made you well" kind of moment.

Once Jesus tells the official to go home because his son is going to live, the official then believes and heads home. The only assurance of healing for his son is the words of Jesus, yet he believes and goes home. There is not any firsthand evidence. The son does not come strolling down the road. It is not a time when Jesus tells the boy to get up. There is a request and Jesus says it is cared for. The only way the official would know if it is true would be to go home and see for himself.

When we stood in front of God and the congregation at our wedding we made many commitments to each other and to God. Part of the ceremony was a commitment offered by God to us. If we keep the covenant made that day, and follow the will of God for our lives, then we will experience the fullness of God in our marriage. There was no tangible evidence of this promise being true, only words offered on God's behalf.

We simply had to believe and live our lives in accordance with the covenant we made that day. The only way we will find out if the promise is true is to keep living in the covenant. If we decide to not live by the covenant we made on our wedding day, we will never know if the promise of God for our marriage is true. Even if we are told by others what God has done for them, we will only know the truth and power of God for our marriage if we believe and live in the promise. All because God offers the promise long before we realize the promise.