Nathanael said to him,“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
John 1:46 ESV

Have you ever walked through a circumstance and asked, “What good can possibly come from this?”

Perhaps this question came when we endured a health crisis, familial discord, financial upheaval, or disappointment. We wondered how we would make it, when it would end, where God was, and how redemption could possibly take place. Sometimes even the people around us discounted us and assumed our defeat.

Nathanael initially responded to Jesus with this same doubt. In John 1, Philip, a new disciple, was excited to tell his friend, Nathanael, how he found the promised Messiah who has come to redeem the world––Jesus. Yet Nathanael struggled to believe his friend when he heard that Jesus was from Nazareth (v. 45).

Nazareth was an unlikely and unimpressive place. It wasn’t a town associated with kings, rulers, or those who are climbing the ladder of success. “Flourishing” wasn’t the word you would use to describe Nazareth. People didn’t expect the Messiah to come from here.

Unfortunately, like Nathanael, we can be tempted to measure worth by outward circumstances. We may evaluate our own lives by what the world deems is successful, how others view a family’s reputation, or how well our own plans unfold.

So what’s the answer to this age-old problem? The same one Philip gave Nathanael: “Come and see” (v. 46).

When Nathanael reached Jesus, Jesus revealed that He saw and knew Nathanael before they ever met (v. 48). In that moment, Nathanael’s skepticism gave way to faith. He no longer saw merely a man from Nazareth, but recognized Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel (v. 49).

Not only did good indeed come from Nazareth, but the best!

Jesus from Nazareth restored sight to the blind, raised the dead to life, walked on water, laid down His life, rose again so we could live, and now He sits at the right hand of the Father. One glorious day in the future, Jesus will come for us—His children—and escort us to be home with Him forever.

What situation left you questioning if any good will ever come from it? What’s your Nazareth? We can take heart in Philip’s words to Nathanael that still echo today: “Come and see” (John 1:46). Come to Jesus in the hard, misunderstood, and painful place. His eyes rest upon you, His presence remains with you, and He extends grace always.

As we celebrate our risen Savior this Easter, let your hope be renewed in this truth: Jesus brings beauty from the most unlikely places. What the world discounts, God builds up. Where humanity sees death, the Lord announces life. And the lowest places are where Jesus will lift you up with His loving hand.

Sweet friend, hold on, good is already here. It’s Jesus Himself. He will give joy, hope, peace, deliverance, and ultimately bring redemption. Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Lord, when I walk through painful seasons, I find it hard to imagine how, or if, You will bring any good from them. Thank You for reminding me that You’re able to bring redemption, purpose, and hope even in the hardest places. Help me not to discount the work that You’re doing in my life, but to trust Your power, presence, and provision. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Ponder:

1. How does knowing Jesus came from an obscure, overlooked, and dismissed place give you hope in your difficult situation?

2. Think of a season you never imagined God would bring good from, yet later saw His hand at work. Write a prayer of thanks for His faithfulness.

3. Take a moment to respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come.” What do you need to bring to Him today: worry, fear, discouragement, physical pain, a strained relationship? Place it in His capable hands.