Once more Jesus visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.The official was facing the death of his son, so of course he was mourning. He was begging Jesus to save his son's life.
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
“Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 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.” So he and his whole household believed.
This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
The initial response Jesus gave to him is kind of hard for me to make sense of. I think he is stating a fact, more than trying tell the man he had done something wrong. He may be saying "belief in God is more important than life and death" - but I need to think about it more.
Regardless of what Jesus's real message was, he healed the man's son. In the end, the man and his family came to belief as well. I like to think they were comforted on two levels: the immediate and the eternal.
God, I know what it means to mourn. I also know what it means to receive comfort from you directly and from the people around me. Even in the midst of all the chaos, thank you for caring for me and my family - not only for now, but also eternity.
God, be with my wife Becky and the kids. Forgive their sins, be near to them, and give them comfort.
Tuesdays | Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
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