John 4:49

The royal official can only utter in response, “Please, Sir, come to my house before my child dies.”  John 4:49 EFP

Try to imagine you are there when this exchange is taking place. I did, and it almost broke my heart.  Do you sense the anguish coming from this father’s lips?  Can you hear his brokenness as he responds to Jesus’ words with a simple, “Don’t let my child die!”?

The man does not defend himself in the face of Jesus’ indictment.  Perhaps he is one of those who does not give Jesus’ a second thought…until this moment.  Perhaps he hears plenty of news about Jesus and his miracles, but chooses not to believe.  He has no need for Jesus…at least, not until today.  But now…his child is slipping away and he is powerless to stop the advance of death’s cold grip on his weakened child.  “Sir, please come…before my child dies!” He is not ashamed to beg.  He is pressing in spite of the apparent rebuff by the Master.  He is not going to quit; his child’s life depends on his success in eliciting a miracle from the Man.

Not going to quit.  I have been struggling with my prayer life for some time now.  I have yet to tap into the next level of prayer’s power.  I believe in it.  I have seen prayer work.  But I want more!  I know that God hears, and I know he wants to give me good gifts.  But I want to be a prayer warrior who does not give up even when heaven seems closed for business.  I want to pray harder and longer and with a simple passion that I see in this man.  I want to learn to pray in such a way that I leave everything there.  I don’t know where that passion comes from—it is not in me.  I am an emotional cripple, I need to be healed.  Lord, give me passion for prayer.  I’m standing next to the man in the story, begging, “Please come to my house….”  It’s me who’s dying.