The Power of Belief

A Spiritual Reflection based on John 4:46-54

Bruce Osborn, Director of Spiritual Development

There is an account in John’s gospel of Jesus healing a government official’s son. What is unique about this healing account is that Jesus was nowhere near the son when he performed this miracle. That’s possibly the most incredible part of the account.  And while it’s worth noting, it’s not what these thoughts here are focused on. In the dialogue between Jesus and this official, there is a statement that might be overlooked, simply because this miracle is so extraordinary.

To set the stage of this account, Jesus returned to the area in which he performed his first public miracle, the turning of water into wine. And when he arrived, this government official heard he was near and sought him out. He found Jesus and shared with him his son’s illness, pleading with urgency for him to come to his home and heal his son because there was not much hope. In fact, Scripture says that he was very near death. Jesus listened but remained where he was. His simple response to the official was, “Go; your son will live.”

“The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” John 4:50

There are two things that jump off the page here. First, the words of Jesus have incredible power. And for us to understand the second point, we must believe that the words spoken by our Master are absolute truth and carry life-giving, transformational power. We can go nowhere else for truth. And it’s the words of Jesus that will bring not only his plan and purposes for us, but those same words, the truths we read in the gospels and in Scripture, will transform our hearts and our lives from death to life.

The second thing that we see in this simple verse is faith. It is a man’s simple belief. John records that this official “believed” the words of Jesus. He had not even yet known of his son’s healing (which is recorded in verses 51-54 of chapter four), but he still believed. That’s what faith is, and this is a beautiful picture of faith being lived out. He didn’t have to see it with his eyes before he believed it. The words of Jesus were enough for him.

The question this leads us to is this: do we believe? Do we trust that the teachings of Jesus are truth? Do we believe that his words will lead us to life? In no way can we see tomorrow, nor the plans God has for us, but we can believe. We must believe because the words of our Master are as true for each of us as they were for the official and his son. And when we respond in faith, when we simply believe Jesus, we find on the other side of our response is life.

Oh, may it be said of this generation that we “believed the word that Jesus spoke.”