The Scripture today is from John 4 and follows the narrative of the woman at the well in Samaria. A certain official in Capernaum, having exhausted all sources of healing for his son, went to Cana to see Jesus.
Jesus knew the man as he was coming to see him about his son. He knew the situation with the illness and what the boy's family had done for him to try to make him better. Jesus also knew why the boy was sick and the reason for the story as it played out.
The man did not know the whole thing. He only knew his son was sick and was not getting better. The fever had hung on for a long time and it looked like his life would be taken from him. He had tried everything he knew, but he had heard that there was a man, now in Cana, who had healed people and performed other signs. Perhaps He could and would help his son. The man asked Jesus to come home with him and see his son, but Jesus just told him to go on home, his son would live, and the man believed Jesus.
Was there a resignation in his voice which said, "OK, you won't come, so I guess this is the best I can do. I'll go on home and just see if you are right"? He did not plead with Jesus and beg, "Please come". He just believed and went toward home. And the boy lived.
What does that story say to me this morning? I wrote down my prayer as I began this time of study and, looking back on it from this perspective, it said that although I am not worthy to sit at your feet today, please give me Your word.
Jesus says to me today, as He did to the official in the narrative, "If you believe in me, and you are willing to be led by Me, you are worthy of the position I put you in, and what I will do for you."
On my own I am not worthy of anything, but because of what Christ has done for me, and my belief in Him, in God's eyes I am. Humbly I accept that while still acknowledging my human nature, but I know that it is a struggle every day to live and act in that knowledge.
A man came up to me the other day and said he had a word that God had given him so he could give it to me. That word was worthy, and, of course, in my 'proud to be humble' way, I told him to go back and listen again. It is hard for me to accept when something like that happens.
But the man in the Scripture passage did not come to Jesus and say, "look at me, I am an official and I want you to come". No, he just believed and went home.
My prayer for today is: Jesus, I am thankful for what You did for me, and continue to do for me each day. In You I am worthy to do the things You call me to. Help me to accept this, but realize that it is by Your strength that I can do them correctly. Help me not to shirk away, and say I cannot do it, but trust that You can, and will, be there for me during everything.
Help me to walk that fine line between man's praise and Yours.
Believe and go!
No comments:
Post a Comment