Yesterday Faith

There is one word that stands out to me in John 4:50-52. I highlighted it in bold letters:

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”

Think about the meaning of the word “Yesterday” in this passage. Not the dictionary definition, but what it says about this man’s faith. The man sought out Jesus and Implored him “to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death (John 4:47).” He was desperate for Jesus to save his son’s life.

Jesus responds, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe (48).” The man pleas with him, “Sir, come down before my child dies (49).” This man is a royal official and yet he sheds all his position and power to plead with Jesus to save his son. He saw Jesus as his only hope. To this, Jesus replies, “Go; your son lives (50).”

Here’s where the word yesterday is so important. In verse 50, it tells us “the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.” In the next verse it tells us that his slaves met him on his return trip and reported to him that his son was living. “So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him (52).’” This shows that the man traveled about a day’s journey to seek Jesus’ help and then he returns a day’s journey, trusting Jesus’ word that he healed his son.

How deep is our faith? Do we trust the Word of God to the length that this man did with a “Yesterday” Faith? He sought Jesus to heal his son; journeying for at least a day, knowing he was his only hope. Then he trusted Jesus’ word enough so that he journeyed at least another day before it was confirmed to him.

© 2021, CGThelen