Last week in study group, we read in the Bible where Jesus heals the official's son in John. Here's some of it.
"At Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was on the point of death. So Jesus said to him, 'Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.' The official said to him, 'Sir, come down before my child dies.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your son will live.' The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way." -John 4:46-50
The rest of the story is that the man returns to his house and his servants tell him that his son recovered yesterday at the exact hour when Jesus told the man that his son would be healed. Because of this interaction, the man believed and so did his entire household.
This story is crazy. I'm not even talking about the fact that the son was miraculously healed. This guy's son was on his deathbed, and he leaves and walks for a day or so away in the hopes that he might find this Jesus guy and maybe Jesus can do something to help. I mean, really. Would leave my dying child on the off chance that maybe, maybe some random person could help? Nope. Then again, I have no idea what desperation a person would feel waiting around knowing that your child is dying. Who knows. Maybe I would go.
But that isn't even the half of it. Jesus tells this man that his son is healed, and without having any way of actually knowing, scripture says, "The man believed the word that Jesus spoke." He believed that his son had recovered and was fine. It's not like he had a cell phone to call in and check about his son. He simply believed that moment.
So often, I pray and ask for things not believing that those things are possible. I maintain some degree of control in that way because I can't be disappointed. I wonder, though, with this situation with the official, did the miracle happen in part because he believed it would? If I don't believe that God is listening and will answer (not necessarily in the way I want), then why am I asking?
I wonder what would happen if I truly believed that God would move on the things I asked.
