Feb 25: The healing touch
John 4:43-54 TNIV from Biblegateway.com
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that prophets have no honor in their own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he 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. 47 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.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 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.”
53 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.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Devotional Comments:
As I read this passage, my first thought was that Jesus was a show off. Demonstrating his power to heal by remote control is pretty outstanding. The fact that he can understand and respond to the requests without having the sick in his physical presence is pretty cool. It shows me his power, but more importantly, it demonstrates his desire not just to heal but to have people understand his heart and follow him.
“Must I do miraculous signs and wonders before you people will believe in me?” Jesus asks. This might sound crazy, but yes, I need that!
I am at times self-centered and sceptical. There have been times when I have cried out for Jesus to do miracles. In fact, I’m where I am today because my earthly father cried out to Jesus to save me from myself. It’s nothing short of a miracle that I follow Jesus. That said, I haven’t received everything I have asked for, nor do I need to. What I have received is his comfort, guidance, correction and restoration in my life. If you lived inside my head, you would see how much I need these things.
The question is where do I need his healing touch? Who do we know that needs Jesus’ healing touch? Think big and small, his desire is to heal us all. Jesus may I always seek you and your healing touch in my life and those around me.
Evan Dewald
Pray for someone specific to experience Jesus’ healing touch in their life.