"John called two of his disciples to him and sent them to Jesus, asking, 'Are You the Coming One, or should we look for another?'" (Luke 7:19).
John the Baptist was languishing in prison with no end in sight. His ministry had ground to a halt; his followers had scattered.
Then he received an unsettling report of Jesus’ efforts: His actions were contrary to everyone's expectations and his kingdom had not come..
John’s faith began to fail.
One commentator writes, “John's faith failed a little." Another insists that his faith was “too robust to fail." Rubbish. John was a man like you and me: full of questions, uncertainty and unbelief.
"Are you the Coming One or should we look for another?" John asked Jesus. This from one who had heard God's voice authenticating Jesus’ sonship and had seen God's Spirit rest on his Son (Luke 3:22). Who could doubt such acclamation?
John could. We do.
These are hard times: Much is demanded of us and much is denied. Our troubles give logic to unbelief. “Sometimes it seems pure natural to trust,” George MacDonald said, “At other times, the whole earth is but dust.” Faith doesn’t grow naturally in troublesome times.
This being true, in spite of our confusion and distrust, we must do exactly what John did: Call earnestly. We must ask Jesus to increase our faith, for faith, like all good things, comes solely from Him. “(Faith) does not come from ourselves, it is a gift of God,” Paul insists (Ephesians 2:8). "Help my unbelief," is ever the doubter's prayer (Mark 9:24).
George MacDonald wrote,
Till I am one with him in thought and act,
I must breed contradiction, strife, and doubt.
My Christ is not yet grown to cast them out.
Struggling today with fear and doubt? Don’t fret: you’re in good company. in due time Christ will grow and cast them out.
David Roper
11.24.20
