Thursday, September 29
Expectations and doubt
Scripture: Isaiah 57-58, Psalm 113, Matthew 11
Matthew 11:2–6 Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples 3 and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, 6 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”
Observation
It’s possible that John the Baptist may have languished in prison for a year. He heard reports about what Jesus was doing, but what troubled him was what Jesus wasn’t doing: freeing him. John had announced that the Christ would bring both blessing and judgment; John saw the blessing but not the judgment. Why had Jesus left him in prison? Why hadn’t Jesus set him free?
Jesus seemed apolitical. He wasn’t resisting the Roman oppressors or the Jewish lackeys like Herod who cooperated with them. So as John sat in prison and stewed, he began to second guess his belief that Jesus was the Christ. He sent disciples to ask him directly: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Jesus didn’t live up to the expectations people had for the Messiah, including those of John the Baptist. He was up to something different, bigger. But when the expectations weren’t met, doubt began. “Are you the One?”
Application
Does this happen today? All the time. We have expectations of how Jesus (or God) should behave, and when He doesn’t come through as expected, we begin to wonder, to doubt. Admittedly, some of our expectations, like John’s, are shaped by Scripture, by the words of God or Jesus. It can difficult to separate our own expectations from those that God Himself encourages!
So what do we do?
First, do what John did, and go to Jesus and ask. Be honest. Tell him your unfulfilled expectations, your doubts and questions. Then listen.
Second, be prepared to adjust your expectations and trust God. Or to surrender them, and let God do what He will. I’m not saying to ignore your questions and “just believe.” Ask your questions. Listen to Jesus. And then trust Him. I think that’s what John had to do. And it didn’t work out as John expected—he was beheaded not released. That’s when trust is most difficult and most important.
Many people lose their faith because of unmet expectations. I want to be someone whose faith gets deeper and stronger even when what I expected doesn’t happen.
Prayer: Lord, help me bring every expectation to You, honestly, and listen for Your answer…and then trust You completely.