This week we’re sharing extracts from our new Bible Study, “Reading Through John with The Devoted Collective.” Details on how to join us for this study are at the end of today’s Daily Dose.
Read: John 4:27-54
I once watched an interview with Paralympic Skier Danelle Umstead describing her dependency on husband Rob as they hurtle down the slopes at speeds of up to 70mph. The relationship between a blind skier and her partner is crucial to successfully navigating the course and reaching the bottom safely. Relying on communication via headset, Danelle must listen to Rob’s every word and blindly trust and act on his instruction. “If the radios go out, I’d be done,” she explains. Her life is wholly dependent on the words her husband speaks.
Following Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well, many “from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (v.39). And their faith is cemented when they hear Jesus speak for themselves (v.42). Words hold power. The very words Jesus speaks are Spirit and life (John 6:63).
Jesus returns to Galilee, the place where He’s known, and we’re told this means He will receive no honour (v.44). The Greek meaning here is no price—there’s no value or respect for Jesus in His hometown. But in the verse immediately following, we read that “when he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him” (v.45).
However, there’s a difference between welcoming Jesus and trusting Him, between receiving Jesus and believing in Him. By now, the Galileans had seen and heard what Jesus had already done in Jerusalem. When someone is performing miracles people tend to sit up and take notice. So they welcome Him, but only because they’re excited to see what He might do next. I wonder how often we treat Jesus the same way—eager to see what He will do for us next rather than welcoming Him into our lives for the beauty of His presence alone.
Jesus speaks directly to this sign-seeking swarm when the desperate official pleads with Him to go with him to save his son: “‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’” (v.48).
Ouch.
It turns out that seeing miracles, signs, and wonders, isn’t what will help us believe. Too often I fall into the trap of thinking that if Jesus just did a miracle in my life or answered my prayer a particular way, it would be so much easier to trust Him. But Jesus is interested in growing faith, not performing to the crowds.
We don’t always get to understand the ‘why’ behind Jesus’ words at the time. The official asked Jesus to go with Him, and Jesus refused. It didn’t make sense. At this point, Jesus had only healed people when He was in the same location as the sick, so for Jesus to refuse to come and help his child would have hurt deeply and felt like total rejection. And yet, despite the confusion, the official starts walking anyway. When God speaks, we step. He takes Jesus at His word, acts on it, and then experiences a miracle when his servants tell him his son was better (v.51). And when did his child recover? At the very moment Jesus spoke. His Word is power; He is the Word we are to trust in.
Like Danelle, the official couldn’t see the course that lay ahead or the finish line. But Jesus could. Jesus always holds the complete picture. The official had to trust Jesus and take Him at His word, and it’s the same for you and me. We mustn’t put limits on Jesus based on our previous experiences of God at work. Instead, we need to move forwards in faith regardless of what we can or can’t see in front of us. Danelle’s blindness means her reliance, connection, and intimacy with her husband when skiing is heightened. Our own blindness when it comes to the ways of God can actually be viewed as a gift when it allows us to lean into Jesus, trust Him, and take Him at His Word. Will you act on His Word alone today?
Journey through the Gospel of John with us! Starting Monday, August 3rd, we’ll walk together in community via a dedicated Facebook group as we rediscover the wonder of Jesus—the living Word who was with God from the beginning.
Using our simple Read, Reflect, Respond method, you’ll engage deeply with Scripture, be encouraged through devotionals, and apply what you learn in a practical way—growing your confidence in the truth of the gospel.
Preorder your print copy of Reading Through John with The Devoted Collective here or grab a digital copy here. Sign up here to be notified when the group opens.
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