Jesus’ response to the desperate father’s request seems puzzling. The man had hurriedly made his way to find Jesus in Cana and implored Him to come and save His son from death. Jesus responded with an apparent rebuke, claiming that the man would not believe unless he saw signs and wonders.
The man’s request seems legitimate enough. Any decent father would want his son to be saved from death. Yet it seems that the man’s faith in Jesus was also tied to a miracle. Perhaps the man would not place his saving trust in Jesus unless he first received a miracle that healed his child.
We often talk as if it takes strong faith to believe God for a miracle. But Jesus made it clear that it takes even more faith to trust God when a miracle is not forthcoming. Perhaps Jesus recognized that this man would no longer trust Him if Jesus did not heal his son. We cannot know for sure.
Jesus did heal the boy. The man recognized that Jesus had done it and he believed along with his entire household. The son was saved not only physically, but also spiritually, because of the actions of his father.
It may have been that the man required the miracle in order to finally conclude that Jesus truly was the Savior. In his case, Jesus graciously granted what was needed in order to set the man and his family free. Has Jesus granted you enough so that you will trust in Him for your family as well?