There was once a time when the world knew not of its Savior. Yet there was hope because it had been foretold that a child would be born and called Emmanuel – God is with us. In Lent, we prepare for his coming anew. During this season, we discover for ourselves the call of salvation and the promise of eternal life.
What would you do to save the life of your child?
An important man lived at the northern tip of the sea. His son was dying. Nothing they had done had yielded any improvement. Then he heard about someone new in far off town who was doing great things, even miraculous things. He wondered if this mysterious man could help.
He decided to take a chance. He would go see this man. He traveled with no guarantee that the man would be at his destination. Even if he did find him, there were no assurances that he actually could cure his son.
This man, a royal officer, left his estate and traveled from his home in Capernaum to Cana in Galilee. This was a journey of over twenty miles walking through the harsh desert for one chance to save his son.
Somehow he found the man of intrigue. He went up to him and begged him to cure his son. The first reply was:
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” (John 4:48)
But the officer persisted. He wasn’t asking because he was personally worthy of such grace, he was asking because the child was worthy. So, he pleaded again for a miracle that would save his son. And, somehow, he believed this man could save his son. Looking upon the officer, Jesus said:
“Go, your son will live.” (John 4:50)
What did the officer do then?
“The man took Jesus at his word and departed.” (John 4:50)
So he traveled back home—another twenty miles—possessing only the promise of Jesus that his son would live.
What would you do to save your child? Would you walk the desert for forty miles? Why, once you found the person you were looking for after a treacherous journey, would you merely accept the statement, “your son will live,” and depart?
On the return trip home, the officer’s servants happily greeted him with the news that his son was cured. They said the fever had lifted early the previous afternoon. The man realized that was the exact moment when he had asked Jesus to cure his son.
The royal officer’s son was saved. All because he decided to take a chance on Jesus—the chance of a lifetime.
These Gospel stories are re-imagined in the book series:
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