Desperation leads us to Jesus, which many people have experienced. Through desperation, the Lord removes barriers that can often get in our way of seeking Him. As Jesus was ministering, a man driven by desperation sought out Jesus to save his son.
John 4:46As Jesus traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die… 49 The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” [1]
We don’t know how this government official came to know about Jesus. We do know he was desperate enough to travel sixteen miles to seek help from someone he only knew by reputation.
Desperation Shows Us We Need the Lord
When life is going well, we tend to forget about God or at least put Him on the back burner. Desperation has a way of stripping away everything we thought necessary. Whatever this government official’s job was, it was on hold as he took time to seek out Jesus for the sake of his son.
A man was desperate as he entered our church one Sunday. He had left God many years earlier, but now the Holy Spirit called him back like the prodigal son. As I came to know Him, I found out he had cancer. The Lord did not cause his cancer but used that terrible disease to show him what was important in life.
When his health declined, he began seeking the Lord, and Jesus transformed him. Yes, sometime later, he would die of his cancer, but in his desperation, the Lord restored this lost soul. As the government official searched for Jesus, he desperately traveled many miles. While he was seeking the Lord to restore his son’s health, the Lord was also at work in Him.
A Savior for Desperate Times
There is nothing like impending death to awaken us to the fact that life is short and we need a Savior. The government official realized only Jesus could save his son. The man spoke with Jesus and wanted Him to come lay hands on his son. But Jesus spoke the healing, and the son regained health at a distance. The Savior answered the man’s prayer differently than was anticipated.
One day, all of us will enter eternity. We are all desperate for a Savior, for without faith in Jesus, we will be separated from God forever in hell. When we place our faith in Jesus, we have eternal life. Today, you may be in a time of desperation, and through this, Jesus is getting your attention. As we humble ourselves and repent of our sins, the Lord forgives, transforms, and renews us. If you are desperate, cry out to God and surrender your life to Him, and you will never be the same.
To learn how desperation leads us to Jesus, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/healing-a-son
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 4:49). Tyndale House Publishers.