"And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me." Luke 7:23
John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one to come or if they should wait for another. There is a great deal of speculation as to why John requested this information. After all, he was present at the baptism of Jesus, saw the Holy Spirit come upon him and heard the very voice of God identify him as his son. Some think that John was lamenting his stay in prison which occurred because of his righteous stand in the face of King Herod's sinful behavior. Others say that John recognized Christ as the son of God but was not sure if he was the prophesied Messiah. This was thought because it was expected that when the Messiah came, Israel would be restored to her former glory and the occupying Roman Empire would be sent packing.
Jesus' reply to John's followers was to tell them to report back the things they had seen concerning his work, namely, the changes he was making in people's lives through the power of healing and ministry.
Beloved, we must be thoughtful about the expectations we have of Jesus. Many expected a royal born King only to find a poor born baby in a manger. It was expected that he would be a great military leader, but he lead the fight against unrighteousness. Many expected him to heal a nation, but he brought salvation to the world. There are those that depart the Lord because personal expectations are not met. It is against this background that the Lord pronounces blessings upon those who have faith, see the bigger picture and remain steadfast. The encouragement to John is encouragement for us. Let us always remember that though God may not do things we would do, or do them our way or accomplish them on our timetable, He knows what He is doing and we should trust him.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
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