The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

THE NOBLEMAN'S SON 33
There are souls who hunger for righteousness and
thirst for God, who are quick to discern the truth,
who turn from vanity and lies, and when overtaken in
sin are distressed.
Such souls respond to Jesus, they
perceive straightway His truth and beauty. They
want no sign and wonder ;
they trust Him at once.
But there are others, not evil but secular, preferring,
almost unconsciously, self and the world to God and
Christ ; they are not troubled with any hunger for
righteousness or thirst for God. They fall in with
the ideas and customs they find about them. They
look not, long not, for any consolation of Israel. But
some trouble comes, their son, their dear little boy, is
hopelessly ill. Human skill has done its utmost
without effect. They are distressed, they are at their
wits' end. They begin to remember there is a God,
and that He can do wonders ; so they have heard.
They will pray, " Lord, come down and heal my son."
They are driven, as this nobleman, by outward need,
not pressed by inward desire, unto God. Or they
themselves fall very sick, they lose all interest in
business and in pleasure, they care
no more how the
world wags ; or reverses overtake them, their plans
are broken and their hopes fail, they are much perplexed
and distressed ;
or a great fear falls upon
them for some evil they have done—they are dark,
apprehensive, wretched.
In these circumstances they
has wrought.
hear of or remember the wonders Jesus
They call upon Him for help. They pray Him to come
down and help them. They have not very clear
ideas or distinct faith, but (so they say) they have no
one else to call upon, they can do no other, all else in
which they put their trust has failed, and now they
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