Luke 7:22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”
John the Baptist had a question for Jesus: are you the promised Messiah, or should we look somewhere else? Our first thought is that John should have known. He was the one who baptized Jesus, he saw the dove descend from heaven and heard God’s voice.
Yet there was still some doubt. Maybe John expected something different from Jesus. Maybe his situation caused him to wonder. For whatever reason, he sent some of his followers to ask Jesus whether we was, indeed, the Messiah.
The answer he got is interesting. In so many churches we hear that doubt is wrong. If you doubt you just don’t have any faith. I disagree with that, and so did Jesus.
Our verse today is the answer Jesus sent to John. “Tell him what you have seen and heard…” Jesus didn’t condemn him, he didn’t send recriminations, he answered with proof.
Years ago, I heard Mike Yaconelli of Youth Specialties, say, “To believe greatly, you must first doubt greatly.”
God is not afraid of, or intimidated by, your doubts. James 1:5 says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
I read a quote that said, “The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when its not without doubt but in spite of doubt.”
Work through your doubts. Ask God to help you do so. He won’t reject you; he will lift you up and give you the wisdom you need.
Today’s Readings: Ezra 1; Psalm 84,85; Luke 7
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