ACCORDING TO THY FAITH

I marvel at the behavioral contrasts between similar situations in Scripture. In John 4 we read the story of a man who has traveled almost 40 miles to ask Jesus to heal his son. This distance would have taken 1-2 days depending upon the mode of transportation. When he leaves his son is near death. I am sure there was a fear in his heart that he might not make it to Jesus in time. When he asks Jesus to come to his home to heal his son, Jesus simply responds, “Go they way; thy son liveth.” Scripture states that he turned around and headed home, no muss, no fuss. John said “the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken.” On the way home he sees his servants coming to meet him. Immediately they inform him that his son is indeed alive. The man asks them what time the son was healed. They informed him that it was the seventh hour, the exact time that Jesus had spoken.

Compare that to the response of Mary and Martha in John 11. Their brother Lazarus has died. They had already sent word to Jesus that he was sick, obviously in hope that Jesus would come and heal Lazarus. Jesus waits. When He does arrive Martha meets Him first, and then Mary a short time later. Both of them have the same response, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” We understand that Jesus had a purpose for waiting, it was to show His power over death to increase the faith of His followers that He would likewise arise after three days in the grave.

The element in the responses in each case is telling. The Nobleman believed the word Jesus had spoken and left in faith. Mary and Martha mourned in doubt. They knew Lazarus would live again in the resurrection. In their mind Jesus could speak all He wanted to a hole in the ground, but they did not believe Lazarus would walk out of the grave. It was only after Jesus had spoken that they believed.

Too often we can have the “Mary and Martha Mentality” that must hear and see before we can believe. We need a “Noble Mentality” that determines whatever Jesus speaks I will believe and receive His word. Just as the Centurion that came to Jesus said, “At thy word….” I don’t need to see the end to believe I just need to hear Him say, “According to thy faith…”