John opened his eyes.
The tall grass swayed around him. The sun was up, so he must have gotten a good sleep. It took him a minute to remember where he was. He thought he’d had the craziest dream about being chased by a talking dragon and dudes in black clothes.
And the dragon sounded like his dad.
And he was saved by guys that looked like they had rays of light shooting from their skin!
Something stirred in his young brain that reminded him it hadn’t been a dream. John jumped up to check if there were any more dragons or scary, chain-wielding bad guys. There was nothing. Just the empty valley running down to the sea.
John started walking back toward the water, hoping to find Jesus.
After a few minutes, his attention was taken by a white bird flying peacefully by. It looked like a dove, and the beautiful creature flew away from the sea. It was heading in the direction of the sun, which was now a big fireball in the western sky.
John didn’t know why, but he kept following the white bird.
As he walked, John noticed a man who was riding a horse a little farther down the path. The man was covered in a bright red robe that had huge sleeves and gold trim. The fabric was shiny and covered the man from shoulders to feet. It looked as if the man had a white robe on underneath the red one. He wore a headdress of red with a thick band of gold around the rim.
John hurried to catch up.
“Excuse me!”
The man didn’t turn around but instead kept guiding the horse.
“I don’t mean to bother you, but I’m lost.”
The stranger still didn’t make eye contact with John. “My son’s dying! I have to find the man called Jesus.”
“That’s who I’m looking for too!”
John jogged a little to catch up to the man and then kept pace with his horse.
“I am so sorry to hear about your son.”
John thought about the miracles that Jesus did. In this place, John wasn’t seeing them in order, but that didn’t matter to him. He was getting to be right in the middle of them!
He sorted through his Bible knowledge and thought about a miracle where Jesus healed a man’s dying son.
John said, “Are you a royal official?”
“Yes. I work for King Herod. How did you know? Who are you?”
John thought about what to say to the man. “Your son is going to be okay!”
The man finally stopped the horse and turned to look down at John. “What kind of clothes are you wearing? And how do you know my son? Who are you?”
“My name is John Le. I don’t know how on earth I got here, but I live in a place called Nevada. I go to church and read this book called the Bible. And in the Bible, it says that your son lives!”
“You can’t know such things! Leave me be. I have to find Jesus.”
John wanted to be respectful. He couldn’t imagine the pain and desperation the man was feeling. But he had to keep up with him because that would eventually get him back to Jesus.
“I really am sorry that your son is hurting. I will pray for him.”
The official snapped the reins and made the horse resume walking. “Are you a prophet?”
“No, sir. I’m just a normal kid from Las Vegas.”
“I’ve come from Capernaum. Sixteen miles away. I need to find Jesus. I hear He is in Cana.”
“Can I please ride with you?”
The man pulled up on the reins. “Whoa!”
The horse stopped.
“Please? I need to find Jesus too.”
The official considered John. He reached down and pulled him up onto the horse.
“Thank you!”
After a long time of riding over the dirt path, the official spoke. “We have reached Cana. We will not stop until we find the only One who can heal my son.”
“Yes, sir.” John felt part of a team.
It didn’t take long to find Jesus. Everyone was still talking about the man who had performed a miracle at a wedding in their village three years before.
When they followed the directions of an elderly woman, they got to a part of town that looked like an outdoor market. John scanned the large crowd and saw Jesus standing in the middle.
“There He is!”
The official helped John get down off the horse. Then the official jumped down.
They both threaded their way through the gathering.
John felt his body fill with an electric love the closer he got to Jesus.
Jesus! I can’t believe I’m standing here with Jesus!
The official pushed past the last few people and made his way to the front of the crowd. He kneeled down and pleaded, “Please, Jesus. Please come and heal my son. He is sick and close to death!”
Jesus looked at the man and then over at John. Then to everyone in the crowd, He said, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
John felt the words flow through his body like they were some kind of invisible substance. They caused him to think about his dad. I am protecting you from your father. You have to believe this even though you don’t feel it.
The official spoke. His plea for mercy brought John back to the moment.
“Sir, come back to Capernaum with me before my child dies.”
Jesus looked at the man. “Go. Your son will live.”
John watched the man nod and get up to leave.
The official said, “I trust You!” He made his way back through the crowd.
Even though John knew the story, it was different being in it. John expected the man to beg Jesus to come back to Capernaum so He could go and heal his son. Instead, he just mounted his horse and prepared to leave. John thought about how the man had traveled all those hours and miles to save his son. And now, the man simply believed that Jesus was going to do what He said He was going to do.
John watched the official gallop away, back in the direction they had come. He looked at Jesus. “You just healed his son, didn’t You?”
“Yes, child. When he gets close to home, his servants are going to meet him on the road and tell him that his son is alive.”
John smiled. Here he was getting to talk to Jesus! He didn’t want this to end.
Jesus put his hands on John’s shoulders. “I know you are worried about your dad. It will be all right.”
John told Jesus about the dragon and the soldiers.
“I know. It will be all right. Don’t be afraid,” Jesus said.
“I couldn’t find You when all of that was happening.”
“I was with you the whole time. Your being here is all about your faith journey. That means trusting Me to be strong enough to always take care of you. Trust the things that your eyes can’t see just as that father trusted what he couldn’t see.”
John considered his Savior’s words. Part of him wondered why Jesus just couldn’t prevent the bad stuff from happening, but he was too embarrassed to ask.
Jesus gave John a hug and told him a second time not to worry. “I am calling you to do great things. There is an enemy that will try and stop you. He will come at you in different ways. Don’t worry about anything. Say no, and trust that I am with you. Stand up, and with My power you will defeat his plans!”
John took a deep breath and exhaled.
Maybe he didn’t have to worry about things. Just being here with Jesus was enough.
As soon as John had that last thought, his father’s voice returned.
Son, I can’t believe you.
He shook his head, hoping to shake the voice away.
It didn’t work.
The voice came again.
You actually think you are something special, don’t you?
John watched the people around him fade away—even Jesus.
The world lost its color.
“Jesus!”
But there wasn’t a reply.
John, you aren’t special. You are just a boy who makes one mistake after another.
The voice was so loud, John shut his eyes and covered his ears.
His father was screaming.
John dropped to his knees, eyes still shut. Hands over his ears.
“Jesus, please. Make this stop!”