Belief, Assurance, Obedience

Day 126: John 4:43-54

“Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” - John 4:50 ES

Since the Reformation in the 1500s, there has been a real stigma against obedience. Many churches focused on the inner, spiritual life in reaction to the Catholic Church's overemphasis on the external. At this point, many Christians severed belief from obedience.  Yet, as we read through the ministry of Jesus and the Apostles, we see over and over that belief and obedience are inseparable.

The man we encountered in our reading today desperately wanted his son to be healed. He even had a plan, and it was to get Jesus to come down and heal his son. The persistence of the father shows Jesus how much this man believed that He could heal his son. Jesus tells the man, "Go; your son will live." The man had a choice to make. Was he going to continue and implore Jesus to come down and heal his son, or would he choose to do what Jesus had asked? He chose to trust Jesus, and his son recovered. You see, genuine belief will always activate obedience.

In what ways is your belief/trust in Jesus lacking? Can you see it surfacing in your disobedience?

We need to be reminded today that Jesus can (and should) be trusted with everything. Go ahead, step into an awakened life of obedience to the only One who can do the impossible.

"The man had faith based on Jesus’ simple affirmation. It was not until the next day that he had confirmation of the miracle when he met his servants coming to tell him that his son’s fever was gone. It had ceased at the very hour when Jesus had given His assurance to the father." - Foster, L. (1987). John: Unlocking the Scriptures for You (p. 57)