Have you ever asked a question of Jesus and not gotten an answer? Especially in a time when you really needed one?
"When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" Matthew 11:2 -3 (NIV)
John in prison, and apparently discouraged. At those times it is easy to focus on what we don't understand and end up discouraged and doubting God. We can start out with, "why is this happening to me?" And end up with, "if God is allowing it, does he really love me?
Which really is more a question that doubts God is who He says He is.
Jesus loved John, but he does not answer the question directly. In fact he doesn't even send John back a personal message.
Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me." Matthew 11:4-6 (NIV)
Jesus reply may not be a simple "yes", but it is empowering to John. It pointed him back to the scriptures that spoke about what the Messiah would do when he came.
As if to say, "John you know the Word, and you know what is happening, what conclusion can you draw from these things? Am I the one?"
In writing there is telling and showing. For example, telling is saying, "Susan was nervous about her history exam." OK, the information was passed, but that can quickly be forgotten.
But if I say, "Susan sat at the table and did not touch her pancakes, only pushed them around on the plate while she kept looking at her history book. She looked up at the clock ticking loudly, class was only an hour away."
That is showing.
When I used "telling" you got the information. When I showed you, you arrived at the conclusion yourself by what you observed. Perhaps you even had an image in your mind. That is much more effective story telling, and also much more effective teaching.
Many times we want a direct answer, and that can come. However, in those times when it does not, perhaps the Lord desires us to see something deeper. Perhaps he desires for us to see and understand for ourselves. What do we see? What does it tell us?
Let's pray for eyes to see what the Lord is showing us today, and allow that truth to nurture our souls.
