Joel M Bradshaw

 49The official said to [Jesus], “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.54This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.–John 4 (with emphasis)

This was a man’s moment–leave your dying child with family and go search for the only answer you had. You hoped that you could bring Jesus home. And when you asked Jesus for help, He simply gave you was His word.

I can’t imagine the kind of helpless pressure that man was in. His wife was no doubt frantic and never leaving her child’s side. To take Jesus at His Word, the man would have to return home alone and empty-handed. His story as he traveled home was no doubt, “Jesus is a man of his word. He will come through. He promised.” His willingness to leave Jesus in that moment and to return home showed profound trust. Upon seeing the miracle and figuring out the timing, his faith in Jesus not only exploded, but was contagious. He influenced the rest of his household to respond in faith.

Faith here has 3 steps. They all are nurtured by self-talk. They also make great prayers when you are in those stages.

1. JESUS CAN. He is my only hope.
2. JESUS WILL. I trust His word. He has got this.
3. JESUS DID. He came through. I am grateful and will respond. He has my word on that.–JMB