49 The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
50 Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.
54 This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.
Simply put, God honors believing faith. Not taking Jesus’ reproof as a denial, our protagonist patiently pursued his parental request for his son’s healing. He is consumed with concern for his child – it is foremost on his mind. Still revealing a weakness in his faith as he appears to believe Christ must be present for His power to prevail, this royal official desires for Jesus to accompany him home for the healing. From the wording in verse 49, He obviously had a sense of urgency about him - perhaps believing that Jesus could heal the sick but not raise the dead. Yet a meager faith goes a long way with our Lord. I am reminded of His Word in Matthew:
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. " Matt 17:20 (NIV)
Though a mustard seed is very small when planted, in one season alone it will grow to a great height – 12 to 15 feet – even becoming a nesting place for the birds of the air! In like manner, a professing believer’s faith may have a small beginning but when practiced will grow as faith is put to work. The Bible gives us the following definition for faith:
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Heb 11:1 (NIV)
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 (NIV)
Satisfied with our Lord’s reply that his son would live, our official takes Jesus at His Word and departs. Faith is proved when acted upon. While he sees no sign or wonder, he believes “the Word made flesh” - the sincerity of his faith is evidenced by his departure for home. While he did not receive what he asked for, he discovers that he receives much more – how like our Jesus!
While it is only human to want to see before we step out on the promises of God, God blesses those who believe yet have not seen. The Hall of Faith listed in Hebrews chapter 11 confirms this Truth. God oftentimes allows us to come to the end of our limited abilities and resources to show us the demonstration of His wondrous power. From Genesis to Revelation we are given example after example of faith being purified through the process and gift of waiting. Faith remains confident in God’s timing remembering that He is not idle during these prolonged periods rather working in us things that could not be produced in us otherwise – He is all about conforming us into the image of His Son. There are rich advantages in our waiting and testings eventually proving unearthly in their joy. We are told in James:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)
“If you cannot trust God for temporals, how dare you trust Him for spirituals? Can you trust Him for your soul’s redemption, and not rely upon Him for a few lesser mercies? Is not God enough for thy need, or is His all-sufficiency too narrow for thy wants? Dost thou want another eye beside that of Him who sees every secret thing? Is His heart faint? Is His arm weary? If so, seek another God; but if He be infinite, omnipotent, faithful, true, and all-wise, why gaddest thou abroad so much to seek another confidence? Why dost thou rake the earth to find another foundation, when this is strong enough to bear all the weight which thou canst ever build thereon? Christian, mix not thy wine with water, do not alloy thy gold of faith with the dross of human confidence. Wait thou only upon God, and let thine expectation be from Him.” C. H. Spurgeon
Believing Jesus at His Word, this official not only receives what He has asked for but so much more. Not only does his son live but his entire household believes - thus proving yet again that Jesus’ actions are never whimsical but always purposeful – purposeful in our wait, purposeful in our pain, purposeful in our purification.