We believe God answers prayer.  However we often limit God, expecting him to answer in the way we want. Yet he seldom does!  There are some wonderful truths we can learn from this story in John 4.

 

After Jesus had met the woman in Samaria, he returns to Cana in Galilee.  About 35 kilometers away, in Capernaum, a man whose son is gravely ill, hears Jesus is there.  He is desperate for help, so travels to Cana to plead with Jesus to come with him to heal his son.  This man is a royal official, and no doubt was used to people doing what he asked.  However Jesus doesn’t go with him.  Instead Jesus says, “You may go.  Your son will live.”

This wasn’t exactly what he expected, but this man takes Jesus at his word.  That is what we need to do.  When we bring our burdens to the Lord, we need to realize he may not answer in the way we want, but we need to take him at his word.  Isn’t that what faith is?  The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word of God.

 

So the royal official leaves Jesus and returns to Capernaum.  Before he arrives though, his servants meet him, with the news that his son is well.  When did that happen?  At exactly the time Jesus spoke those words, ‘Your son will live.’  You can imagine how they rejoiced!  As a result he and all his family put their trust in Jesus.

 

When we face a problem, a crisis or great need, let’s learn to listen to Jesus.  What is he saying?  What does he want us to do?  Faith is ignited in our hearts by his words, not our own ideas.  Then, like the royal official, let’s take him at his word and see what he will do.