Seeking Jesus First Feb. 23, 2026
Bonus Devotion: Just Say the Word
Primary Texts: John 4:46–53; Matthew 8:5–13
(Read both passages before reflecting below.)
Two desperate fathers.
Two dying servants.
Two requests for Jesus to come.
At first glance, the nobleman in John 4 and the centurion in Matthew 8 seem nearly identical. Both approach Jesus in crisis. Both plead for someone they love. Both believe Jesus has authority to heal.
But the interactions unfold differently.
In John 4, the nobleman begs, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” Jesus does not go with him. Instead, He says, “Go your way; your son lives.” The man must believe the word and walk home without visible evidence.
In Matthew 8, when the centurion pleads for his servant, Jesus responds, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion stops Him: “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” Jesus marvels at this faith and declares, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
In one case, Jesus refuses to go.
In the other, He offers to go.
Why the difference?
The answer is not favoritism—it is revelation.
The nobleman needed to grow from desperate dependence on physical presence to confidence in Christ’s spoken word. His faith matured through obedience. The centurion, however, already understood delegated authority. As a man under authority and in authority, he recognized something profound: Jesus did not need proximity to exercise power. Authority travels through command.
Both men experienced a miracle. But their paths were shaped differently because their understanding was different.
This teaches us something essential about faith.
Faith is not forcing Jesus into our preferred method. It is responding rightly to how He chooses to move. The nobleman wanted Jesus physically present. The centurion insisted that His word was sufficient. In both cases, healing flowed—but each man had to align with Christ’s direction.
Our faith matters deeply. Jesus responded to both men. He honored both requests. But He also led each one beyond their assumptions.
There is another layer here. The centurion’s faith astonished Jesus. The nobleman’s faith grew as he walked. One began with strong revelation; the other arrived there through obedience. Faith is not static—it can be cultivated.
At times, we may cry, “Come down!” longing for visible intervention. At other times, we may sense the Spirit prompting us to trust the word already spoken. The critical question is not whether Jesus will move—but whether we are listening for how He intends to move.
Faith and discernment must walk together.
If we demand that God act only in ways we understand, we may miss the authority of His word. If we assume we know how He must answer, we may overlook what He is already saying.
In both accounts, healing occurred at the hour Jesus spoke.
Distance did not limit Him.
Method did not constrain Him.
Authority belonged to Him.
Today, let this truth steady your heart: Christ is not confined by geography, process, or expectation. He is Lord. Our part is not to script His response—but to trust His voice.
Sometimes He will say, “I will come.”
Sometimes He will say, “Go your way.”
In either case, the miracle rests in His word.