"Go," Jesus replied, "your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. – John 4:50

Today's Scripture Reading (December 9, 2023): John 4

I grew up in a tradition that had an altar that stretched across the front of the sanctuary. And often, people in crisis would come and kneel in prayer at this altar. I was an adult before I realized that this altar was not a standard feature across all churches; that some churches, including the one at which I am currently a pastor, do not have these altars at the front of the sanctuary. But where they exist, the concept is that we have a place to bring our troubles, leaving them at the altar when we get up to go from this place of prayer.  

The reality is that, too often, when we take our leave from the altar, we take our problems back so that we can carry them and worry about them for a little longer. We want to carry the burden, and it is almost as if we don't trust Jesus with life's problems. We see the worst that can happen and never give God the chance to give us his best.

A royal official has come to Jesus with a problem that even the king can't fix. His son is sick and about to die. There are no solutions, and so he brings his problem to Jesus. "Jesus, no one else can help me, but is there anything you can do?'

However, at this moment, there is a reasonably major plot turn. The father has been in crisis. He brings his crisis to Jesus, and then Jesus speaks the word that changes Dad's outlook. "Go," Jesus replied, "your son will live" (John 4:50). And Dad accepts what Jesus says as if it is a done deal. It is an extraordinary testimony of faith.

Then, John writes these words.

While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him."

Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live" (John 4:51-53).

Did you catch it? Dad was in crisis; Capernaum was a day's walk from where Jesus was teaching. Presumably, his servants left to find their master soon after the fever left the child. And yet, it is the next day before they meet up with each other. Dad was in crisis, but he trusted Jesus's words so much that as soon as Jesus spoke the words, "Your son is healed," for Dad, the crisis was over. There was no reason for him to hurry home. His son was going to live; Jesus said so. This father is a phenomenal example of faith.

It was this moment that John was trying to prepare us for in his introduction to his Gospel, his ode to the Divine Logos, the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). John assures us that the Word is enough. And when Jesus enters the situation, the crisis is over.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Matthew 5