Previously we looked at Luke 7:19 where John the Baptist questioned the deity of Jesus. What made him wonder if Jesus was the Messiah, or if there was another yet to come?
John had lost his faith in Jesus. He forgot about Psalm 23, where David says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me.”
However, we have to understand John’s position. He was in prison, and within days, he would be beheaded for speaking the truth about Herod’s wife. Jesus was out doing miracles with the people. What had gone wrong? Where had John failed?
Many church members can understand when we talk of losing faith in Jesus. We are hammered daily with the distractions of the world, and within that cacophony, the reality of Jesus’ love is hard to find.
John had followed God, and look where he found himself. In prison. To double his pain, Jesus was out there doing miracles. In Verse 17, the reports of Jesus’ fame spread. In Verse 18, the disciples brought reports of all he was doing. In Verse 19, John sent the disciples to ask the Lord, “Are you the Messiah…or should we keep looking?”
Like his contemporaries, John thought the Messiah would come in a blaze of glory, freeing the people of Israel. No one had expected the Messiah to come in a manger.
John needed Jesus to prove himself.
Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in his response, telling John the lame walk; lepers are cured; the deaf are healed; the dead are brought back; and the Good News is preached.
However, he left out what John needed to hear most. Isaiah also tells us the captives would be set free. Jesus knew John would die in prison.
How disappointing for John! However, isn’t that us sometimes? We ask God to rescue us, and he doesn’t seem to find it terribly urgent. We don’t understand why he doesn’t realize how badly we need a reply to our prayers.
Isaiah 55:9 needs to be our guide, for this verse tells us that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Revelation 4:11 proclaims, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power...”
James 4:8 says it best of all. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you...”
If we can worship, then we have the means to get to the other side of our problem. Worship takes the problem away, because it brings the presence of God. There is a truth in this. Someone who quits on God is someone who quit worshipping him first.
When you question where God has gone, draw near to him with praise and worship, and he will be there for you.
Copyright © 2013 MyChurchNotes.net
Code: FD.FGO.K.11.12b.vp