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Matthew 11:2-6

 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples  and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Do you ever have doubts? Doubts about Jesus? Doubts that make you wonder, “Is all this for real?” Did God really send his Son for me? Did Jesus’ death on the cross really pay the penalty of my sin? What will happen when I close my eyes in death? Will I spend eternity in heaven? Now please don’t misunderstand. I am not talking about the atheist’s “I won’t believe” or the agnostic’s “I can’t know for certain.” I am talking about those out-of-nowhere doubts that hit the heart of the true believer. Never happens to you? Great! But for the rest of us…well, we have something in common with John the Baptist.

John the Baptist, who knew God had sent him to prepare the way for Jesus; who first introduced Jesus as the “Lamb of God”; who said that he was unworthy to bend down and untie the straps on Jesus’ sandals; who said, “He must increase; I must decrease” …yes, that John the Baptist…had a time of doubt. As he sat for months in a dark prison, he began to wonder about Jesus. So, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Note Jesus’ response. He did not say, “John wants to know what!!!???” Jesus simply instructed the disciples to report all that they heard and saw. The blind, deaf, lame, and sick were being healed! The dead were raised! The good news was being preached to the poor in body and spirit. Although John sat in prison, his heart did not have to be imprisoned by discouragement and doubt.

Do you ever have doubts? You know what reassures me? I spend time thinking about people who have trusted in Christ and how their lives have been changed. I think about marriages God has restored. I think about the healing he has brought to those whose marriages weren’t restored. I think about things in my life that could only have been done by him. I think about the person whose health has been returned and saints who have faced death with tremendous confidence and calm. I think of the peace that God brings when I surrender my worries and anxiety to him. Jesus knows we need assurance from time to time. And he is more than willing to give us all the reassurance we need.

Father, thank you for not giving up on me when I doubt. Thank you for your reassurance that replaces my discouragement. I believe. Help my unbelief. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Today’s Journey Message:

The Joy of Loving God – Part 1