Your son will live

The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. (John 4:50)


The man was desperate: his son was near death. So he set out to find this rabbi he had heard so much about, Jesus. Could Jesus heal his son? Would they get back to his son in time? With every step, questions swirled in his mind until Jesus was in sight. He rushed to Jesus, begging him to come and heal his son. Instead of departing with him, Jesus simply declared to the man, “Your son will live” (John 4:50).

At that precise moment, two miracles took place. First, the man’s son was healed and restored to full health. So what was the second miracle? The man “believed what Jesus said to him” (John 4:50). Something happened in his heart. He didn’t need Jesus to come with him anymore. He became convinced that Jesus had authority over sickness and could heal without even touching his son.

And then another miracle happened. Before he arrived home, the man’s servants brought him the news that his son had been healed. It seems surprising that the most pressing question on the man’s mind was not how his son was doing but when the healing occurred. Did it really matter? Wasn’t it enough that his son was well? But he had to know that the boy recovered at just the moment that Jesus pronounced his promise. And when it was confirmed, “he and his whole household came to believe” (John 4:53). Jesus wasn’t just a wonder-worker. He was the Messiah!

This story tells us that embedded in every healing, embedded in every work God does in our lives, is an invitation to an intimate relationship with his Son. Greater than any physical healing is knowing in our heart of hearts that Jesus is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our Friend. When he works in our hearts, he reveals himself to us, and our faith is deepened. Nothing compares with the knowledge that Jesus, the Lord of all creation, loves us and lives in us. Let’s ask him to open our eyes today so that we too can believe.

“Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. I believe that you died on the cross for me. I believe that you rose again. I believe that you have redeemed me. Open my heart to know you even more today.”


Isaiah 65:17-21; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13