“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:28
Here’s a comforting verse for all of us. Do you sometimes feel that life is like a rollercoaster, and you don’t have a seatbelt? You see the drops and loop-the-loops coming up and think, ‘How am I going to make it through this!?’ Jesus tells us here that we are safe in His hands. He goes on to say, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:29). There are two hands in view. We are completely protected from anything that would try to strip us of our salvation. That’s what ‘eternal life’ means – eternal, everlasting, neverending! Certainly there will be temptations, and we will fall into sin, but we don’t lose our salvation over those things. We are still in God’s hands.
There’s another issue that arises here: no-one can snatch us out of God’s hand, but what if we choose to turn our back on Him? Can we revoke our salvation and jump out of His hand ourselves? Calvinists would argue ‘no’, on the basis of ‘once-saved-always-saved’, and say that a person who does this was never saved in the first place. Arminians would say ‘yes’, and some would even go further to say that we need to be careful to keep ourselves in God’s hands, so that we don’t fall out. Scripture clearly tells us we are not in danger of falling out. God isn’t careless with us – He loves us too much to let us go that easily. But can we, by our free will, extract ourselves from His hands? For me the answer is possibly – but once you have known the Lord, why would you want to?
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
A God who saves
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens. Selah. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.” Psalm 68:19-20
I love coming across these verses when reading the Bible, that remind us about some of the core attributes of God. We can never be reminded too often that God saves us.
We also encounter here the word ‘Selah’. It can mean ‘pause’, or ‘lift up’ and indicates that at this point the reader ought to stop for a moment and consider what is being said. ‘Selah’ links two thoughts. Here we have the first thought: God is God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens – being linked to the second thought, which is an amplification of the first: God is a God who saves, who brings escape from death.
God isn’t aloof, watching us from a distance, impassionately. No – He is right there with us, every moment of every day. He bears our burdens daily. He is deeply interested in everything that is happening to you, every aspect of your life. He has saved you, and He is is continuing to save you. It’s not a one-off thing, but it’s a lifelong commitment that He has made, to watch over you.
But how often do we forget this, and try to carry all our burdens ourselves? If only we would realise how much God loves us and wants to help us. Sometimes we think, ‘God, You’ve saved me, that’s enough – I can do the rest myself now.’ But the truth is, Him saving us in the past is only a fraction of the story. In fact, presuming that you can handle things and walk without stumbling, is a demonstration of pride. We were saved by the grace of God, yes, but we also need to continue in the grace of God, as He sanctifies us. This is the ongoing salvation process. It is never finished, while we are in these earthly bodies.
I love coming across these verses when reading the Bible, that remind us about some of the core attributes of God. We can never be reminded too often that God saves us.
We also encounter here the word ‘Selah’. It can mean ‘pause’, or ‘lift up’ and indicates that at this point the reader ought to stop for a moment and consider what is being said. ‘Selah’ links two thoughts. Here we have the first thought: God is God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens – being linked to the second thought, which is an amplification of the first: God is a God who saves, who brings escape from death.
God isn’t aloof, watching us from a distance, impassionately. No – He is right there with us, every moment of every day. He bears our burdens daily. He is deeply interested in everything that is happening to you, every aspect of your life. He has saved you, and He is is continuing to save you. It’s not a one-off thing, but it’s a lifelong commitment that He has made, to watch over you.
But how often do we forget this, and try to carry all our burdens ourselves? If only we would realise how much God loves us and wants to help us. Sometimes we think, ‘God, You’ve saved me, that’s enough – I can do the rest myself now.’ But the truth is, Him saving us in the past is only a fraction of the story. In fact, presuming that you can handle things and walk without stumbling, is a demonstration of pride. We were saved by the grace of God, yes, but we also need to continue in the grace of God, as He sanctifies us. This is the ongoing salvation process. It is never finished, while we are in these earthly bodies.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Driving out the giants
“That too was considered a land of the Rephaites, who used to live there; but the Ammonites called them Zamzummites. They were a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. The Lord destroyed them from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and settled in their place.” Deuteronomy 2:20-21
In Deuteronomy 2 we read of several of the nations that lived near the land of Canaan: the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Caphtorites, and how they had driven various peoples of giants out of their lands before settling in them. The Moabites drove out the Emites (Deut. 2:10-11), the Edomites drove out the Horites (Deut. 2:22), the Ammonites drove out the Zamzummites (Deut. 2:21), and the Caphtorites drove out the Avvites (Deut. 2:23).
All of these peoples were Rephaites (descendants of Rapha), a second wave of Nephilim. We recall how in Numbers 13 the children of Israel rebelled against God and refused to enter the land because of the bad report about there being giants (Anakites) living there. As a result, God was angry with them and sentenced them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until that entire generation had died out.
But here we see that Israel’s rebellion was completely unnecessary. Here were these other nations, who had no covenant with God, but had driven out giants with God’s help (Deut. 2:21-22).
There’s a lesson here for us. God has made a covenant with us, just as He did with the nation Israel. He has promised us victory over the enemy, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and much more. Yet how often do we look at some mountainous challenge in life, that many unbelievers before us have endured, and think we can’t do it? God is with us – of course we can make it.
In Deuteronomy 2 we read of several of the nations that lived near the land of Canaan: the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Caphtorites, and how they had driven various peoples of giants out of their lands before settling in them. The Moabites drove out the Emites (Deut. 2:10-11), the Edomites drove out the Horites (Deut. 2:22), the Ammonites drove out the Zamzummites (Deut. 2:21), and the Caphtorites drove out the Avvites (Deut. 2:23).
All of these peoples were Rephaites (descendants of Rapha), a second wave of Nephilim. We recall how in Numbers 13 the children of Israel rebelled against God and refused to enter the land because of the bad report about there being giants (Anakites) living there. As a result, God was angry with them and sentenced them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until that entire generation had died out.
But here we see that Israel’s rebellion was completely unnecessary. Here were these other nations, who had no covenant with God, but had driven out giants with God’s help (Deut. 2:21-22).
There’s a lesson here for us. God has made a covenant with us, just as He did with the nation Israel. He has promised us victory over the enemy, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and much more. Yet how often do we look at some mountainous challenge in life, that many unbelievers before us have endured, and think we can’t do it? God is with us – of course we can make it.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Not of this world
“But He continued, ‘You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.’” John 8:23
When the Bible talks about ‘not being of the world’, it doesn’t mean that Jesus came from another planet. In this sense, ‘the world’ refers to the mindset of the world at large, the mindset of unregenerate mankind. This is the mindset that says ‘get all you can and can all you get’, that looks out for number one, that shakes its fist in the face of God, seeking after pleasure, having an insatiable appetite for sin. We can all agree that Jesus was not like this.
And here is an awesome thing: if we have been born again, our new man is not of this world either. Jesus prayed to His Father, “I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world” (John 17:14). If we have been born again, then we are new creations – creations of God, with our spirits made alive to Him, and with the Holy Spirit indwelling us. We have the influence of heaven inside our hearts. That’s not to say that we don’t fail sometimes, and fall into sin. But sin is no longer the pattern of our life.
So next time you, as a Christian, feel like you don’t fit into society, be encouraged – there is a reason this is the case. You are not of this world.
When the Bible talks about ‘not being of the world’, it doesn’t mean that Jesus came from another planet. In this sense, ‘the world’ refers to the mindset of the world at large, the mindset of unregenerate mankind. This is the mindset that says ‘get all you can and can all you get’, that looks out for number one, that shakes its fist in the face of God, seeking after pleasure, having an insatiable appetite for sin. We can all agree that Jesus was not like this.
And here is an awesome thing: if we have been born again, our new man is not of this world either. Jesus prayed to His Father, “I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world” (John 17:14). If we have been born again, then we are new creations – creations of God, with our spirits made alive to Him, and with the Holy Spirit indwelling us. We have the influence of heaven inside our hearts. That’s not to say that we don’t fail sometimes, and fall into sin. But sin is no longer the pattern of our life.
So next time you, as a Christian, feel like you don’t fit into society, be encouraged – there is a reason this is the case. You are not of this world.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The cities of refuge
“These six towns will be a place of refuge for the Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another can flee there.” Numbers 35:15
Before Israel even entered the land of Canaan, God had instituted the law concerning the cities of refuge (Ex. 21:12-13). Here in Numbers 35, just before Israel entered the land, God gave them more specific instructions as to how these cities were to operate.
The city of refuge was designed to protect someone who had accidentally killed another person (what we would call manslaughter). Ordinarily, if someone was killed, their next of kin would seek out the person who killed them, to put them to death. God allowed this to remain in place for cases of murder, where the initial killing was intentional. But where it was an accident, He made provision for that person to receive mercy.
The cities were selected from among the Levitical cities. We find out later that they are Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth Gilead, and Golan (Josh. 20:7-9). These cities were within easy reach of everyone; no city was more than a day’s journey from anywhere in Israel.
Someone guilty of manslaughter was to flee to the city, state his case to the elders, and if they determined that the killing was accidental, they were to allow him to enter. Once inside, he was safe (although if he ventured outside and the avenger of blood found him, he could be killed, Num. 35:26-27). There was one condition upon which he was free to leave the city: when the high priest died (Num. 35:28).
How does this apply to us today, as Christians? Once again, it is a picture of Jesus. He is our refuge, where we can find safety from the avenger. Also, it is by the death of the high priest – Jesus being our high priest (Heb. 4:14) – that we are freed. Imagine what it was like for those people living in a city of refuge. Being a Levitical city, they would have direct access to the word of God, to be taught by the Levites. Also, they would have come across many other people who were there for the same reason as themselves: because they had killed someone accidentally, but had found mercy there. God shows us mercy and grace by giving us His Son. Have you found your refuge in Him?
Before Israel even entered the land of Canaan, God had instituted the law concerning the cities of refuge (Ex. 21:12-13). Here in Numbers 35, just before Israel entered the land, God gave them more specific instructions as to how these cities were to operate.
The city of refuge was designed to protect someone who had accidentally killed another person (what we would call manslaughter). Ordinarily, if someone was killed, their next of kin would seek out the person who killed them, to put them to death. God allowed this to remain in place for cases of murder, where the initial killing was intentional. But where it was an accident, He made provision for that person to receive mercy.
The cities were selected from among the Levitical cities. We find out later that they are Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth Gilead, and Golan (Josh. 20:7-9). These cities were within easy reach of everyone; no city was more than a day’s journey from anywhere in Israel.
Someone guilty of manslaughter was to flee to the city, state his case to the elders, and if they determined that the killing was accidental, they were to allow him to enter. Once inside, he was safe (although if he ventured outside and the avenger of blood found him, he could be killed, Num. 35:26-27). There was one condition upon which he was free to leave the city: when the high priest died (Num. 35:28).
How does this apply to us today, as Christians? Once again, it is a picture of Jesus. He is our refuge, where we can find safety from the avenger. Also, it is by the death of the high priest – Jesus being our high priest (Heb. 4:14) – that we are freed. Imagine what it was like for those people living in a city of refuge. Being a Levitical city, they would have direct access to the word of God, to be taught by the Levites. Also, they would have come across many other people who were there for the same reason as themselves: because they had killed someone accidentally, but had found mercy there. God shows us mercy and grace by giving us His Son. Have you found your refuge in Him?
Sunday, January 15, 2012
The Holy Spirit in us
“‘Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7:38-39
There is confusion in some Christian circles about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian, and what the terms ‘receiving the Holy Spirit’ and ‘baptism of the Spirit’ mean. Some people think they are the same thing, but they are not. To demonstrate this, today we’re going to learn a little bit of Greek.
There are three Greek prepositions used to describe the relation of the Holy Spirit to the believer. We see two of them in John 14:17 – “for He lives with you and will be in you”. ‘With’ is the Greek para, meaning beside (from which we get words like ‘parallel’). This refers to the influence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of unbelievers, working alongside them, convicting their conscience of their need for a Saviour (John 16:8). ‘In’ is the Greek en, meaning in. This refers to that which happens when a person becomes a believer: the Holy Spirit becomes resident in their heart and indwells them (Rom.. 8:9, Rom. 8:11, 1 Cor. 3:16, 1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 2:22, 2 Tim. 1:14). So all Christians have the Holy Spirit ‘in’ them, as a result of conversion. We see this with the disciples: the Holy Spirit was with them (John 14:17), and after Jesus’ resurrection, we read, “And with that He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21). At that moment the Holy Spirit came to indwell them.
But it doesn’t stop there. In the Scriptures we see a third relation: when the Holy Spirit comes ‘upon’ believers. This is the Greek epi, meaning on, over, upon (from which we get words like ‘epicentre’, ‘epidermis’, etc.). For the disciples, this happened at the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Here were believers, encountering a new relation with the Holy Spirit (see also Acts 8:16). Peter told them that this had been prophesied by Joel, that God would pour out His Spirit on (epi) all people (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28). We see this called the baptism of the Spirit (Acts 1:5), the filling of the Spirit (Acts 2:4, 4:31, 9:17, Eph. 5:18, ), and the overflow of the Spirit (Rom. 15:13). This is a separate event, and not all Christians have experienced it. The baptism of the Spirit is something that happens after conversion, to enable God’s power to flow out through us to touch others with spiritual life. This is what Jesus was referring to in today’s verse (John 7:38-39). It’s something that is available to you today, if you will just ask for it.
There is confusion in some Christian circles about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian, and what the terms ‘receiving the Holy Spirit’ and ‘baptism of the Spirit’ mean. Some people think they are the same thing, but they are not. To demonstrate this, today we’re going to learn a little bit of Greek.
There are three Greek prepositions used to describe the relation of the Holy Spirit to the believer. We see two of them in John 14:17 – “for He lives with you and will be in you”. ‘With’ is the Greek para, meaning beside (from which we get words like ‘parallel’). This refers to the influence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of unbelievers, working alongside them, convicting their conscience of their need for a Saviour (John 16:8). ‘In’ is the Greek en, meaning in. This refers to that which happens when a person becomes a believer: the Holy Spirit becomes resident in their heart and indwells them (Rom.. 8:9, Rom. 8:11, 1 Cor. 3:16, 1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 2:22, 2 Tim. 1:14). So all Christians have the Holy Spirit ‘in’ them, as a result of conversion. We see this with the disciples: the Holy Spirit was with them (John 14:17), and after Jesus’ resurrection, we read, “And with that He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:21). At that moment the Holy Spirit came to indwell them.
But it doesn’t stop there. In the Scriptures we see a third relation: when the Holy Spirit comes ‘upon’ believers. This is the Greek epi, meaning on, over, upon (from which we get words like ‘epicentre’, ‘epidermis’, etc.). For the disciples, this happened at the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Here were believers, encountering a new relation with the Holy Spirit (see also Acts 8:16). Peter told them that this had been prophesied by Joel, that God would pour out His Spirit on (epi) all people (Acts 2:17, Joel 2:28). We see this called the baptism of the Spirit (Acts 1:5), the filling of the Spirit (Acts 2:4, 4:31, 9:17, Eph. 5:18, ), and the overflow of the Spirit (Rom. 15:13). This is a separate event, and not all Christians have experienced it. The baptism of the Spirit is something that happens after conversion, to enable God’s power to flow out through us to touch others with spiritual life. This is what Jesus was referring to in today’s verse (John 7:38-39). It’s something that is available to you today, if you will just ask for it.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The lame man at Bethesda
“When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” John 5:6
Here in John 5 we have the miracle of the healing of the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda. The pool was well-known in Jerusalem in Jesus’ time for having healing properties; specifically, an angel would periodically come down and stir the waters, and the first person to get into the pool after this happened would be healed (John 5:4). But this lame man was at a disadvantage: he was not able to move quickly enough to get into the pool. He had been in this condition for 38 years (John 5:5, although whether he had been at the pool for that long, we don’t know).
I think it’s interesting to note the question that Jesus first asks of the man. He doesn’t say, ‘Do you believe I can heal you?’ but instead, ‘Do you want to get well?’ You see, there are some people who don’t want to get well. They prefer to live in suffering so that other people will pity them. I heard a story once of a man in a wheelchair who went along to a healing meeting, and when told to stand up and walk, he did. But then he went and sat back in the chair, saying, ‘They’ll take my benefit away if they find out I can walk.’ He never walked again.
The same thing is true spiritually. For whatever reason, some people want to stay in a state of spiritual immaturity. They want to play the part of the victim and bemoan their lack of faith. They want to complain about how hard done by they are, to draw attention to themselves.
At least this man had been trying to get in the pool. His actions demonstrated that he did want to get well. The saying ‘God helps those who help themselves’ is not correct, but it is true that God won’t help those who refuse to try.
Here in John 5 we have the miracle of the healing of the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda. The pool was well-known in Jerusalem in Jesus’ time for having healing properties; specifically, an angel would periodically come down and stir the waters, and the first person to get into the pool after this happened would be healed (John 5:4). But this lame man was at a disadvantage: he was not able to move quickly enough to get into the pool. He had been in this condition for 38 years (John 5:5, although whether he had been at the pool for that long, we don’t know).
I think it’s interesting to note the question that Jesus first asks of the man. He doesn’t say, ‘Do you believe I can heal you?’ but instead, ‘Do you want to get well?’ You see, there are some people who don’t want to get well. They prefer to live in suffering so that other people will pity them. I heard a story once of a man in a wheelchair who went along to a healing meeting, and when told to stand up and walk, he did. But then he went and sat back in the chair, saying, ‘They’ll take my benefit away if they find out I can walk.’ He never walked again.
The same thing is true spiritually. For whatever reason, some people want to stay in a state of spiritual immaturity. They want to play the part of the victim and bemoan their lack of faith. They want to complain about how hard done by they are, to draw attention to themselves.
At least this man had been trying to get in the pool. His actions demonstrated that he did want to get well. The saying ‘God helps those who help themselves’ is not correct, but it is true that God won’t help those who refuse to try.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thirsting for God
“O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul longs for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1
The superscript to Psalm 63 tells us that David wrote this psalm when he was in the desert of Judah – most likely when he was on the run from Saul. Although he had been anointed with oil by Samuel and told that he would be the next king, here he was, running for his life, with nothing but a few other disgruntled men.
Deserts are lonely, desolate places. David certainly knew what he was talking about when he wrote about longing for God ‘in a dry and weary land where there is no water’. But even in that time of great physical thirst, he knew that his need for God was greater.
Think about the great lengths people go to when they are thirsty – drinking dirty, muddy, water, or even their own bodily fluids. Here’s a hard question for all of us: what lengths would we go to in our thirst for God? If it means forsaking all to follow Him, even though other people may ridicule and shun us, are we still willing to obey? Are you ‘drinking’ of Him every day, in fellowship, through prayer and His Word? If you’re feeling spiritually parched, maybe today is the day to start seeking God in earnest.
The superscript to Psalm 63 tells us that David wrote this psalm when he was in the desert of Judah – most likely when he was on the run from Saul. Although he had been anointed with oil by Samuel and told that he would be the next king, here he was, running for his life, with nothing but a few other disgruntled men.
Deserts are lonely, desolate places. David certainly knew what he was talking about when he wrote about longing for God ‘in a dry and weary land where there is no water’. But even in that time of great physical thirst, he knew that his need for God was greater.
Think about the great lengths people go to when they are thirsty – drinking dirty, muddy, water, or even their own bodily fluids. Here’s a hard question for all of us: what lengths would we go to in our thirst for God? If it means forsaking all to follow Him, even though other people may ridicule and shun us, are we still willing to obey? Are you ‘drinking’ of Him every day, in fellowship, through prayer and His Word? If you’re feeling spiritually parched, maybe today is the day to start seeking God in earnest.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Zelophehad's daughters
“So Moses brought their case before the Lord, and the Lord said to him, ‘What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and turn their father’s inheritance over to them.’” Numbers 27:5-7
Inheritances in the Bible were not dealt with as they are today, where all the children (usually) receive an equal share. Women generally did not receive any inheritance, since they were expected to marry and become part of their husband’s family. Only the sons received an inheritance, with the firstborn son receiving a double portion. Here we have an interesting case of a man who had five daughters and no sons. These daughters went to Moses to ask what would happen to the inheritance. Moses in turn asked the Lord, who instructed him that the inheritance was to pass to the daughters if there were no sons, and if there were no sons or daughters, then it would pass to the man’s brothers; if there were no brothers, then to the next male relative in the family (Num. 27:8-11). In this way, by the inheritance passing to the daughters before the man’s brothers, God was instituting something that was extremely unusual in that culture.
Zelophehad’s daughters had nothing to lose by asking. If Moses or God said ‘no’, they were no worse off. But there was a chance that a provision might be made for them, and as we know, there was. You see, God cared for them. He isn’t bound by society’s norms. And the same is true today. We might think that God can’t bless us, or use us in ministry, because we grew up in an undesirable neighbourhood, or we failed in our past – things that people would write us off for. But God doesn’t see those things. He sees us for what He can do through us, now and in the future.
Inheritances in the Bible were not dealt with as they are today, where all the children (usually) receive an equal share. Women generally did not receive any inheritance, since they were expected to marry and become part of their husband’s family. Only the sons received an inheritance, with the firstborn son receiving a double portion. Here we have an interesting case of a man who had five daughters and no sons. These daughters went to Moses to ask what would happen to the inheritance. Moses in turn asked the Lord, who instructed him that the inheritance was to pass to the daughters if there were no sons, and if there were no sons or daughters, then it would pass to the man’s brothers; if there were no brothers, then to the next male relative in the family (Num. 27:8-11). In this way, by the inheritance passing to the daughters before the man’s brothers, God was instituting something that was extremely unusual in that culture.
Zelophehad’s daughters had nothing to lose by asking. If Moses or God said ‘no’, they were no worse off. But there was a chance that a provision might be made for them, and as we know, there was. You see, God cared for them. He isn’t bound by society’s norms. And the same is true today. We might think that God can’t bless us, or use us in ministry, because we grew up in an undesirable neighbourhood, or we failed in our past – things that people would write us off for. But God doesn’t see those things. He sees us for what He can do through us, now and in the future.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Taking Jesus at His word
“The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ Jesus replied, ‘You may go. Your son will live.’ The man took Jesus at His word and departed.” John 4:49-50
Here in the latter part of John 4, we see the account of a healing that is only recorded in John’s gospel. Jesus was visiting Cana, where He had earlier turned water into wine. A royal official heard he was in the area, and travelled from Capernaum to Cana to ask Him to come and heal his son, who was dying. Jesus did not go with him, but instead said, “You may go. Your son will live.” This is very similar to how He also healed the centurion’s servant (Matt. 8:13) and the Canaanite woman’s daughter (Mark 7:29-30), from a distance. The man obeyed, and when he returned home he found that his son had been healed at the same time Jesus spoke the word (John 4:51-53).
The key phrase I want to highlight is that he ‘took Jesus at His word’. Without any proof that his son was in fact healed, but only a promise from the Lord, he obeyed. Similarly, we need to be obedient – not just in small things or big things, but in all things. (Sometimes it’s easier to obey in the big things – seeking the Lord before making major decisions, or upholding the pillars of the Christian faith; and neglect to obey things that God has told us that we think don’t really matter. Of course, major decisions also require faith, but they generally involve a lot more prayer and seeking the Lord – at least, that’s what I have found in my own life.) A walk by faith is made of many steps, small and large. It’s not the size of the steps, but the direction in which they are made, that determines where you will end up. We need to walk in obedience, taking hold of the promises God has given us – taking Jesus at His word, and trusting that we will see the results.
Here in the latter part of John 4, we see the account of a healing that is only recorded in John’s gospel. Jesus was visiting Cana, where He had earlier turned water into wine. A royal official heard he was in the area, and travelled from Capernaum to Cana to ask Him to come and heal his son, who was dying. Jesus did not go with him, but instead said, “You may go. Your son will live.” This is very similar to how He also healed the centurion’s servant (Matt. 8:13) and the Canaanite woman’s daughter (Mark 7:29-30), from a distance. The man obeyed, and when he returned home he found that his son had been healed at the same time Jesus spoke the word (John 4:51-53).
The key phrase I want to highlight is that he ‘took Jesus at His word’. Without any proof that his son was in fact healed, but only a promise from the Lord, he obeyed. Similarly, we need to be obedient – not just in small things or big things, but in all things. (Sometimes it’s easier to obey in the big things – seeking the Lord before making major decisions, or upholding the pillars of the Christian faith; and neglect to obey things that God has told us that we think don’t really matter. Of course, major decisions also require faith, but they generally involve a lot more prayer and seeking the Lord – at least, that’s what I have found in my own life.) A walk by faith is made of many steps, small and large. It’s not the size of the steps, but the direction in which they are made, that determines where you will end up. We need to walk in obedience, taking hold of the promises God has given us – taking Jesus at His word, and trusting that we will see the results.
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