A Sign from God

John 4: 46-54 "Now this was the second sign that Jesus did...."

A sign from God--and the official and his whole family believed.

A sign that took place because a royal official went seeking his son's healing; and he persisted after meeting resistance, and continued to push through to receiving a great grace.

When Jesus said, "You won't believe unless you see signs," the official said: "Sir (Kyrie, Lord), come down before my little boy dies." (Never mind about your signs, Sir, a life is at stake!) The father himself had a part in bringing about the healing: persistent prayer, a form of belief.

The official had a further part: he believed the word, episteusen (the word for faith is pistis). I.e., he believed before he saw the sign. He acted on Jesus' command to "go home, your son will live." Acting in faith, another form of belief.

And the next part is, the man then recognized the sign. Beyond his understandable rejoicing, this father compared the time of Jesus' words to the time of his little boy's healing. He recognized the connection and saw his miracle beyond the happy outcome--that perhaps would have happened anyway if he had stayed home--but a sign of the Messianic age.

Every step of the way, the official acted in faith (even seeking out Jesus in the first place). What sign will the Lord give today if we persist in prayer, confident and observant.