Wednesday, March 26th

Life can be frightening and at times, very unsettling.  Even for the most faithful of the Lord's servants, circumstances can sometimes cause feelings of defeat and despair.  Certainly all of us have been there; some of us may even be there right now.   I don't know any Christian who's never felt alone---like they'd been forgotten.  There was one believer in the Bible though whose testimoy always encourages me.

We call him John the Baptist, and Jesus said that there was not a greater man born. John was a determined man, living his whole life for the purpose he'd been born for---to pave the path for Christ to be revealed to the world.   Fearlessly preaching repentance, John made an enemy by telling King Herod that he shouldn't be living with his brother Philip's wife.  Cast into prison and feeling like no one knew his name, he must have felt abandoned.  In his heart, he knew who Jesus was and believed with every ounce of his being that Christ was the Savior of the world.  Still, in the stillness of the moment in that nasty, musty jail, John called for Jesus' disciples.  He asked but one question: Are you the Messiah or are we supposed to look for someone else?  Why did he ask that?  I believe in my heart that John knew the answer.  So, why did he ask?  Because he was human, and he needed the compassionate reminder the Lord sent back through his disciples:
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Matthew 11:4-5

Jesus didn't scold him for his momentary lack of faith.  He knew John's heart and knew where he was.  Just as a shepherd gently picks up a lost, wounded lamb, Jesus sent back words of comfort, explaining that John could be confident in all that he'd seen the Lord do.  

In the same way, the Lord knows our frames, girls.  He delights in our strengths and longs to comfort us when we hurt.  Jesus could have said something like, "Seriously, John??  After all I've done for you...after all you've seen Me do....and you still doubt???"

Jesus didn't say that though.  He encouraged John to hold on; to remember all that John had seen with his own eyes.  You and I need to do the same thing.  When we are feeling just a little lost and alone, we need to remember how we've seen the Lord work in our own life.  John had to take a minute to reflect and remember.  You and I need to do the same thing.

Scripture Reading for the Day:
Proverbs 26
Matthew 11