Taking Him At His Word

I get very tearful from time to time.

The tears are very rarely out of sadness. They are tears expressing amazing admiration and gratitude for the grace and kindness of God. Wondering at His greatness and experiencing His faithfulness in the mundane as well as the marvellous.

I take to heart the episodes of Jesus on the earth. The great things He does and the impact He makes on the lives of those around Him. There’s one in the gospel of John that sees a royal official approaching Jesus asking for the healing of his son who was sick to death. Jesus’ initial response sounds a little insensitive – criticising folks for wanting to see before they believe. after this, though, he does something remarkable.

There’s a brilliant part written by John that has a heavy impact on my heart.

The king’s official said, “Sir, come before my little son dies.” Jesus answered, “Go. Your son will live.”  The man believed what Jesus told him and went home. On the way home, the man’s servants came and met him. They said, “Your son is well.” The man asked, “What time did my son begin to get well?” They answered, “It was about one o’clock yesterday when the fever left him.”  The father knew that one o’clock was the same time that Jesus had said, “Your son will live.” So the man and everyone in his house believed in Jesus. (John 4:49-53)

What’s fascinating about it, is that having just said people need to see to believe, Jesus then challenges this official to believe without seeing. He took Jesus at His word and believed the word and then when the outcome reinforced the belief this man moved from believing in what was said, to believing in the one who said it.

It’s an incredible lesson of learning from obeying and growing in faith as a result. All starting with an approach that says take Him at His word.

It’s one thing to believe what Jesus said, it’s another ting to take Him at His Word and then progress to believing in Him as your faith is affirmed.

It’s an encouragement to me to just listen out for what Jesus is clearly saying and learning to take Him at His Word. Whether it is healing or deliverance, provision or direction, He is not in the habit of just leaving us completely alone.

All about the practice of just taking Him at His word.

(Photo by Alison Stevens on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden