SCRIPTURE UNION DAILY DEVOTIONAL – DISCOVERY (USA)
Scripture Union Discovery 10th February 2025 Devotional Message for Monday
TOPIC: Just Like The Man Said
Opening Prayer
Abba Father, help me to hear your voice and not be distracted by the voices of others. Increase my awareness and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in discerning your will!
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Read JOHN 4:43–54
Jesus Heals an Official’s Son
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Reflect
‘Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy…’ (2 Samuel 7:28). Meditate on this truth with thankfulness.
Imagine visiting a landmark tourist attraction only to realize on your departure that you’d spent so long viewing the visitor information boards that you never focused on the landmark itself! The importance of avoiding that danger in relation to Jesus is in view here.
The healing of the royal official’s son is designated a sign by John (v. 54), but one the official doesn’t need to see to believe. Although initially assuming Jesus’ physical presence would be required (vv. 47, 49), the official is content to take Jesus at his word (v. 50). He believes that the Word who spoke creation into being (1:3) can speak new creation into being in the life of his son. The detail about the precise timing of the healing (vv. 52, 53) emphasizes the appropriateness of his faith.
Jesus can be taken at his word and requires faith without the need of signs as proof (v. 48). Our faith should not be in the flesh but in the Word made flesh (1:14)—in other words, faith in the Messiah himself and not in the marks of the Messiah. To allow the latter to distract from the former is to mold Jesus in our image rather than allowing him to renew the image of God in us.
Apply
Listen now for whatever word God has for you. Resolve to take him at his word when it becomes clear to you.
Closing prayer
Thank you, Father, that you speak to me through your Word. Give me ears to hear and a heart that clings to and acts on what you say.
Scripture Union Discovery 9th February 2025 Devotional © 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved
