Christian Reflection and Prayer

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 4:46-54.
(Jesus said) "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not
believe" (John 4:48). 

Lenten Devotion- When Jesus' enemies in Jerusalem learned
He was becoming more popular than John the Baptist, He left
and returned to Galilee in the north. Huge crowds gather, but
Jesus knows their faith is shallow and superficial. When an
important official comes to ask the Lord to heal his dying son,
Jesus challenges the entire crowd: "Unless you see signs and
wonders you will not believe."

How deep is your faith? Can you take Him at His word, or do
you insist on more? If you listen closely you almost pick up a
tone of defiance in Jesus' voice ... or is it sorrow? He wants
them to believe, but they must believe on His terms, not theirs.

The official knew only one thing really mattered: his son was
dying and only Jesus could save him. So he begged Jesus to
come down and heal him. But Jesus didn't go. Instead, He
sent the father away with a promise: "Go; your son will live.
" Would you be able to trust Jesus and go?

The official did. He accepted Jesus' words and on the way
home he learned his faith had been well founded: his son was
healed.

We don't need to see miraculous signs to believe in Jesus
as our Savior. God uses old familiar words to give us faith;
He uses water and His Word to wash away our sins, and
He joins His body and blood to simple bread and wine to
forgive us all our sins.

Don't stay on the outside waiting to see some miracle in
your life before you'll follow Jesus. Learn a lesson from the
official above: the stakes are life and death, heaven and hell.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, give me faith to trust Your words and promises
through every circumstance in my life. Amen.