Reminder: We read the first half of this episode on Christmas Eve, when the royal official came to Jesus because his son was about to die. We will pick it up again in verse 49.

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49 “Sir,” the official said, “come down before my child dies.”

50 “Go,” said Jesus. “Your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at His word and departed. 51 And while he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive.

52 So he inquired as to the hour when his son had recovered, and they told him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.”

53 Then the father realized that this was the very hour in which Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and all his household believed.

54 This was now the second sign that Jesus performed after coming from Judea into Galilee.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Queenie Favelle

This passage challenges us to trust God even when we do not yet see the fruits of our prayers.

The royal official was desperate. His son was dying, and he thought that Jesus had to travel and go to his son in order to heal him. But as we saw last time, Jesus simply said to him, “Go – your son will live” (v 50), and the man believed him. John told us, “The man took Jesus at his word” – that is, Jesus’ word was enough for him. So he was able to leave Jesus and return home, despite not yet seeing for himself that his son was healed.

Notice the order: he believed first, before he had any signs that his son was healed. I think often trusting in Jesus is very much like that. Even though we do not know how our prayers will be answered, we take God at his word, trust him, and persevere. Ultimately, we have God's biggest sign, which is Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead, through which he conquered death once and for all. This ought to lead us to repentance and trust, even when we don’t yet see God’s answer to our prayers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Queenie is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.