信心需要成長
約翰福音四章43至54節
43過了那兩天，耶穌離了那地方，往加利利去。
44因為耶穌自己作過見證說：「先知在本地是沒有人尊敬的。」
45到了加利利，加利利人既然看見他在耶路撒冷過節所行的一切事，就接待他，因為他們也是上去過節。
46耶穌又到了加利利的迦拿，就是他從前變水為酒的地方。有一個大臣，他的兒子在迦百農患病。
47他聽見耶穌從猶太到了加利利，就來見他，求他下去醫治他的兒子，因為他兒子快要死了。
48耶穌就對他說：「若不看見神蹟奇事，你們總是不信。」
49那大臣說：「先生，求你趁著我的孩子還沒有死就下去。」
50耶穌對他說：「回去吧，你的兒子活了！」那人信耶穌所說的話就回去了。
51正下去的時候，他的僕人迎見他，說他的兒子活了。
52他就問甚麼時候見好的。他們說：「昨日未時熱就退了。」
53他便知道這正是耶穌對他說「你兒子活了」的時候；他自己和全家就都信了。
54這是耶穌在加利利行的第二件神蹟，是他從猶太回去以後行的。
信息分享
經文所載的事件發生在加利利，當中牽涉到兩個城鎮和兩位人物。這兩個城鎮是相距約二十五哩的迦拿和迦百農；而那兩位人物是病童的父親和耶穌。
那位心急如焚的父親，知道只有基督可以幫到他。他兩手空空地跑到耶穌面前，除了向祂提出自己的懇求和顯示對祂的信心之外，再沒有向耶穌提出任何的回報。他可能很富有，但他沒有提出以金錢作為酬勞。他只向耶穌說：「我的兒子快要死了，你可否救他？」
基督當然願意救他，但與此同時，祂又希望看見這名父親的信心能夠成長；因此，祂給他兩個考驗。首先，祂對他說：「人人都想看神蹟，卻沒有人願意相信我」。這個測試很快便證明那名父親究竟是想看神蹟，還是願意去相信祂。
那名父親聽完耶穌的話，再重申自己的要求，顯示他相信基督的能力。
基督接著說：「好吧，如果你真的相信我，那麼，就照我的吩咐去做--你立即自行回家，你回去之後，就會看見你的兒子已經好了。」
那名父親是否願意聽從基督的話，立即自行回家？是的，他願意。他立即轉身回去，甚至在回程途中，還在某處借宿了一晚(參51至53節)。當他知道兒子在何時痊癒的時候，他便獲得了信心的確據(53節)。
只要我們研讀神的話語--聖經--並願意信從它的話而行，我們的信心便能逐漸成長。你的信心可能會遭受考驗，然而，這卻是信心成長的必經之途。願你立志去經歷考驗，並獲得信心的成長。
禱告：
主啊，求你加增我的信心。當我要經歷信心的考驗時，求你扶持我，使我能站立得穩。
Our Faith Must Grow
John 4:43-54
43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.
44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.
A Nobleman’s Son Healed
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.
54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
Message
This happening took place in Galilee and concerns two towns and two people. The two towns were Cana and Capernaum, about 25 miles apart. The two people were the father of the sick boy and Jesus.
The father had a real need. He felt Christ could help him. He went to Jesus with nothing to offer except his need and his faith. He may have had money but he didn't offer it. He simply said, 'My son is dying, will you help me?'
Now Christ wanted to help, but he also wanted to see this man's faith grow. So he gave him two tests. First, he said, 'All you people want to see are miracles. You're not interested in believing in me.' That test would soon show what the man really wanted.
The father answered by stating his need again, and in doing so showed his faith in Christ's power.
Then Christ said, 'All right, if you believe in me, do this-go home now without me. When you get there your child will be well again.'
Was the father prepared to step out on Christ's word alone? Yes, he was. He turned and started going home and even stayed overnight somewhere on the way. (See verses 51-53.) Then the assurance came to him that healing had come (v.53)
Faith grows as we read God's Word, the Bible, and dare to believe what it says. Try it now. Your faith will be tested, but then that is how faith grows.
A Prayer:
Lord increase my faith. Help me to stand the tests that help my faith grow.