Living Faith (John 4:43-54)

Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. John 4:50

This man is no different than most of us. When we have pain in our lives, we want God to fix it. Lord, I’m sick, please heal me, I’m lonely, please bring me a friend, I’m out of work, please give me a job, I’m lost, please give me direction. We even know how God should fix it, so we make sure to tell him. This man figured that if Jesus would only come to see his dying son, he might have a chance to live. Instead, Jesus replied by asking him to take a step of faith and return home with only the promise that his son would live. The man had pleaded for Jesus to come to Capernaum, but God doesn’t always answer our prayers exactly the way we think He should.

This father couldn’t see it initially, but from Jesus’ point of view there was more going on here than just the healing of his son, there was the salvation of the entire family. When we are in a desperate situation, we are usually so consumed with relieving the pain, that we can’t see anything else. But God may have something more in mind, something actually much more important in the big picture. The question is, are we open to having God change us, and those around us, as part of the solution to the pain? We may have faith that Jesus is powerful enough to fix our immediate problem, but do we trust Him enough to take a step of courageous obedience as part of the process? Do we have faith that goes beyond just believing that Jesus can fix our problems? Do we have a faith deep enough to let go and actually do what Jesus says before we see our prayer answered?

We think it will be easy to trust God at His word, but we struggle with it. It must have been tough for that man to go back home without Jesus. Even when we know what we’re supposed to do, it’s hard to take that step. In fact, it may the most difficult thing you’ve ever done, but God will not let you down if you obey Him! It seems like whenever we’re about to have a breakthrough, Satan will throw all kinds of things in our path. Fears and doubts will try to conspire against you. Even friends and family may tell you it doesn’t make sense. You may have to deal with sin in your own life, possibly things that have been a stronghold for years. We want God to make everything better, but He also wants us to grow through it. It won’t be easy to do what He asks, but it will be worth it.

Living faith is just as much about doing as is it about believing. This man believed AND went back home. When we ask God for help, He may answer by testing our faith first. Not to make us jump through hoops, but to allow us a chance to see Him work in ways that are far beyond this present painful situation and to deepen our trust and love for Him. If we will take a step of obedient faith, it will not only change our lives but also those around us. There is something special that happens when we trust God at His word and act on it. His grace to us is a gift, we can’t work for it, but our faith filled obedience is a catalyst that creates an ideal environment for God to work. God wants to do more than just answer our needy prayers, because we don’t even know all we need. He wants to stretch and grow our faith to the point that we will trust and obey Him with everything.